BOSTON– A Massachusetts teenager who participated in a spicy tortilla challenge on social media died from eating a large amount of chili extract and also had a congenital heart defect, according to an autopsy report obtained by the Associated Press.
Harris Wolobah, a 10th grader from the city of Worcester, died on September 1, 2023, after eating the chip manufactured by Paqui. The cause of death was listed as cardiorespiratory arrest “in the context of recent ingestion of a food substance with a high concentration of capsaicin,” according to the autopsy by the Medical Examiner’s Office. Capsaicin is the component that gives peppers their heat.
The autopsy also said Wolobah had cardiomegaly, meaning an enlarged heart, and a congenital defect described as “left anterior descending coronary artery myocardial bridging.”
Paqui, a subsidiary of Texas-based Hershey Co., pulled the product from store shelves shortly after Harris’ death. The Associated Press sent an email seeking comment to Hershey on Thursday.
Harris’ cause of death was determined on Feb. 27, and a death certificate was released to the Worcester city clerk’s office on March 5, according to Elaine Driscoll, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. .
The Paqui chip, sold individually for about $10, came wrapped in foil in a coffin-shaped box bearing the warning that it was intended for the “vindictive pleasure of intense heat and pain.” The alert warned that the chip was only for adult consumption and should be kept out of the reach of children.
Despite the warning, children had no problem purchasing the fries, and there were reports of teenagers across the country becoming ill after taking part in the fries-eating challenge. Among them were three high school students from California who were taken to a hospital and seven students from Minnesota who were treated by paramedics after participating in the 2022 challenge.
The challenge required participants to eat the Paqui chip and then see how long they could go without consuming other food and water. Sales of the chip appeared largely driven by people posting videos on social media of themselves or their friends taking on the challenge. They showed people, including children, unwrapping the packaging, eating the fries and reacting to the heat. Some videos showed people choking, coughing and begging for water.
Spicy food challenges have been around for years. From local chili eating contests to restaurant walls of fame for those who finish extremely hot dishes, people around the world have been challenging themselves to eat especially spicy foods, with some experts pointing to the internal race of competition and risk-taking.
A YouTube series called “Hot Ones” gained Internet fame several years ago with videos of celebrities’ reactions to eating hot wings. Meanwhile, restaurants across the country are offering in-person challenges — from Buffalo Wild Wings’ “Blazin’ Challenge” to Wing King’s “Hell Challenge” in Las Vegas. In both challenges, customers over the age of 18 can try to eat a certain amount of wings dipped in extra hot sauce in a limited time, without drinking or eating other foods. Chile pepper eating contests are also held regularly. the world.
Extremely spicy products created and marketed exclusively for the challenges – and possible Internet fame – are a more recent phenomenon exacerbated by social media.
Harris’ death sparked warnings from Massachusetts authorities and doctors, who warned that eating such spicy foods could have unintended consequences.
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This story has been edited to conform to AP style: chile, rather than chili.
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