Eating spicy snacks is nothing new for kids, but the Paqui One Chip Challenge takes the snack one step further as a  viral social media trend. 

Many view it as a fun way to experiment with spicy food and prove to their friends how tough they are.

Unfortunately, this challenge has proven to have significant and dangerous side effects for many students, especially when students add additional spice or ingredients to the product.    

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Parent & educator training video

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What is the One Chip Challenge?

• The One Chip Challenge is a social media food challenge sponsored by the tortilla chip brand, Paqui  
• Participants are challenged to eat the entire chip and then wait as long as they can before eating or drinking anything and then post their reaction on social media with #onechipchallenge
• The chip’s ingredients include two of the spiciest peppers in the world: the Carolina Reaper and the Scorpion pepper
• The Carolina Reaper pepper ranks over 2 million SHU (Scoville Heat Units) 
• The Scorpion Pepper ranks over 1.2 million SHU
• For comparison, a jalapeno usually falls in the 2,000-8,000 SHU range and Tabasco Hot  is about 30,000-50,000 SHU
• The chip can be purchased in retail stores and online on Amazon
• Amplify Snack Brands, Inc. introduced the product and challenge in 2016

One Chip Social Media Challenge  in the news

At least nine students from Lodi High School did the challenge and got sick. Three of the students were sent to the hospital….'A lot of kids follow their peers, even if they don’t know what it is. They don’t know the consequence,’ a mother said.

WDBJ7

‍Why should parents & educators care?

• Students may feel peer pressure to participate in this spicy food challenge
• Despite the hot peppers already in the chips, students may be tempted to take it further and add additional ingredients to the chip making it unsafe for consumption
• Some of the side effects include nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, which could lead to  hospitalization
• The chips include a very serious warning label on each package:

What can parents & educators do?

• Talk with your student about the possible side effects of eating food with high spice ratings, especially if they have pre-existing medical conditions
• Have a conversation with your student about peer pressure on social media and why they want to participate in this challenge. Also, discuss ways to report or block bullying if they feel pressured to partake in dangerous challenges
• Remind students that social media posts don’t always share the negative, after-effects of a challenge
• If students want to participate in the challenge, encourage them to do it with a trusted adult nearby to help monitor potential side effects

MomTalk podcast with Beth and Andrea discussing the One Chip Challenge

Conclusion

Social media challenges seem to be here for the long haul for students using apps such as TikTok.  The One Chip Challenge can sound like a fun way to challenge your friends, but it can become dangerous for some.

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