'Buldak 500 Times Spicier' Snack Causes Death of American Teen, Here Is the Cause of Death

Types of Death Such as Accidental and Natural Death "Cannot Be Determined"

Last year in the United States, the autopsy results of a teenage boy who died after participating in the 'One Chip Challenge,' where participants eat an extremely spicy snack and do not consume any other drinks or food, were revealed. The boy is reported to have died from cardiac arrest.

Tortilla chips made extremely spicy using Carolina Reaper peppers. Snacks used in last year's popular 'One Chip Challenge.' [Image source=Paqui Chips]

On the 17th, Yonhap News cited the autopsy report released that day by the Massachusetts medical examiner and the US daily The New York Times (NYT), reporting that Harris Willoba (14), who died on September 1 last year, died from "cardiac arrest occurring in an environment where a person with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending coronary artery recently consumed food containing a high concentration of capsaicin." Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy refers to an abnormally enlarged heart due to various causes, and myocardial bridging is a congenital condition where part of a coronary artery tunnels into the heart muscle instead of lying on the heart's surface. In cases with myocardial bridging, the muscle can compress the blood vessel, rarely leading to angina and other risks. However, the medical examiner stated that aside from Willoba's medical cause of death, the specific manner of death such as natural or accidental could "not be determined."

Willoba's mother previously claimed that the extremely spicy snack 'Paki Chips' her son ate a few hours before his death endangered his health. Paki Chips is a snack produced by Amplify Snack Brands, a subsidiary of the well-known American chocolate company The Hershey Company, containing the 'Carolina Reaper' and 'Naga Viper Pepper,' known as the world's hottest peppers. Among these, the Carolina Reaper's Scoville Heat Units (SHU, a measure of capsaicin concentration) range from approximately 1.5 million to 2.2 million SHU, about 220 times hotter than Cheongyang chili peppers and 500 times hotter than Buldak Bokkeum Myun (spicy chicken noodles). However, Willoba's mother reportedly refused to comment on the autopsy results.

Harris Willoba, who died last year after participating in the 'One Chip Challenge' in the United States. [Image source=NBC Boston]

Last year in the US, the 'One Chip Challenge,' where participants eat this extremely spicy snack and try to endure as long as possible without consuming any other drinks or food, became a trend mainly on social media platforms. On the day of his death, Willoba ate Paki Chips given by a classmate at school and complained of severe abdominal pain. Later that afternoon, he was found collapsed in his room and was taken to the hospital but ultimately passed away. About a week after Willoba's death, the manufacturer recalled all Paki Chips from retail stores and issued refunds to those who had purchased the product.

In a statement released that day, the manufacturer expressed "deep sorrow over the death of Harris Willoba and extended condolences to his family and friends," but emphasized that "the One Chip Challenge was intended only for adults, and there was clear guidance that Paki Chips are not meant for children, people sensitive to spicy foods, or those with underlying health conditions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.