McMeen Elementary

Weekly Message from Nurse Miriam

10/19/22, 2:44 PM

Good Afternoon McMeen Families!

 

  🥵🌶 Have you heard of the "One Chip Challenge" that's trending on social media platforms such as TikTok?

 

  The "One Chip Challenge" is promoted by a tortilla chip company knows as Paqui. The challenge is for an individual to eat 1 single very spicy chip packaged by Paqui and see how long the individual can wait without having to eat or drink anything else to alleviate the discomfort from the spiciness.   Individuals that cannot "last" long enough are dismissed from the challenge and described as "powerless."  

 The reason why this chip is so spicy is that it has an ingredient called capsaicin. Capsaicin is found in all peppers, but is found in higher concentration in spicier peppers. Capsaicin is an irritant to mucous membranes. Mucous membranes are any moist areas of our bodies including eyes, inside of noses, and mouths. In fact, capsaicin is an ingredient found in pepper spray/bear repellant. 

    The trouble with this challenge is that there have been significant health effects on children and young adults who have participated in this challenge. Some individuals have not just experienced irritated mouths/eyes from consuming these chips, they have also experienced vomiting, chest pain and heart palpitations. The packaging on these Paqui chips even have a disclaimer that the chip should be kept out of the reach of children. 

    It is important that our students are aware of the dangers of challenges like this chip challenge. Please consider speaking with you student(s) about food safety as well as the negative effects of many of these challenges. 

   For more information about the "One Chip Challenge" and what to do if someone is experiencing adverse effects from consuming capsaicin please visit this Poison Control webpage https://www.poison.org/articles/is-the-one-chip-challenge-dangerous.

   

Thank You and Stay Safe!

Nurse Miriam