What is the ‘One Chip Challenge’ due to which 3 kids were hospitalized in the US?

At least three California high school students were at the hospital this month after taking part in the viral social media “one chip challenge.” The viral online challenge, initiated by a tortilla chips company, involves people eating a single chip made using the Carolina Reaper, which is known as the hottest peppers in the world. The challenge includes holding off from drinking water. According to the school’s principal, Adam Auerbach, the pupils at Lodi High School near Sacramento were all brought to the emergency department after experiencing a severe response to the ultra spicy meal.

“Each student who has taken part has had a similar reaction. Struggling to breathe and catch their breath,” Auerbach said on Friday. “We have also had students vomiting on themselves and have had to put a stop to any further unhealthy/unsafe behaviors. As each has resulted in students needing to leave campus to head home or to the emergency room.”

Carolina Reaper is known as one of the hottest peppers in the world

According to the Paqui website, the challenge is eating a single chip. “Crafted with the hottest peppers on the earth.” And then pausing as long as physically feasible before drinking something. The chip encompasses Carolina Reaper and Scorpion peppers. Which are reputed to be among the hardest spice levels to digest. Dr. Bret Christiansen of California’s Marshall Medical Center told CBS 13 this week. That both peppers are at 2 million Scoville units. For comparison, a jalapeno has about 5,000 Scoville units. Thus this spice level is near “400 times hotter than a jalapeno.” 

However, with over 475 million views on its TikTok hashtag alone, the one-chip challenge has lately obtained tremendous attention online. After more students took the challenge at lunch, Auerbach informed that the chip had been prohibited from the Lodi School District. According to the Miami Herald, the company previously stated that “the Paqui #OneChipChallenge is notoriously hot, as our slogan implies- the product should be handled with utmost care.”