Deadly Food
A food marketing stunt intended to go viral may have led to a Massachusetts teen boy’s tragic death in early September. The family of 14-year-old Harris Wolobah alleges that he was killed by eating a brand of Paqui chip known as the “One Chip Challenge”—a chip dusted with the Carolina Reaper and the Naga Viper peppers, some of the spiciest peppers on record.
The chip’s makers did include a warning on the product recommending that people who are pregnant, allergic, or sensitive to spicy products should avoid eating the chip. The chip is also explicitly marketed to be for adults only. But until Wolobah’s death, it could readily be found on store shelves. There had been prior reports of children getting hurt from taking part in the chip challenge. As of mid-December, state medical examiners have reportedly still not determined Wolobah’s cause of death.
In other deadly food news this year, Panera is currently facing two lawsuits from families who claim their loved ones were killed by drinking the company’s highly caffeinated “Charged Lemonade” energy drink. Both reportedly had cardiovascular conditions that may have increased their risk of death.
