The crackling of the packaging, the tingling of anticipation before the first bite, the subsequent burning pain and the hasty search for a glass of milk - these are the reactions to TikTok's latest sensation: the hot chip challenge.

The birth of a hot trend: the Hot Chip Challenge!

A single tortilla chip packed in a coffin. Just by looking at the packaging you can tell that this is no ordinary snack. The chip, seasoned with the hottest chili in the world, the Carolina Reaper , promises a culinary experience that you won't soon forget. What's special about this snack is its extreme spiciness - around 2 million Scoville , making it one of the hottest chips in the world. For comparison, a normal jalapeño pepper has just 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville. But why does this dangerous snack captivate so many?

From the package to the phenomenon

The unique and eye-catching packaging, the “coffin” designation and the promise of extreme sharpness quickly made the chip a TikTok star. Young people around the world dare to take the plunge, film their reactions and share them in the hope of going viral.

The tortilla chips seasoned with the “hottest chili in the world” are available on their own website as well as online shopping portals such as Amazon or at kiosks. These chips should not actually be sold to minors. Nevertheless, they still end up in the hands of children. The health consequences and risks of this challenge should therefore definitely be discussed with children and young people.

When tests of courage become dangerous

But what started as harmless fun can have serious health consequences. The most recent example of the Hot Chip Challenge: a comprehensive school in Euskirchen , where students had breathing difficulties and stomach problems after the challenge. Some even reported eye damage.

Emergency doctor intervention after a hot challenge: “Hot Chip Challenge” as a school sensation in North Rhine-Westphalia

“Accept the challenge and spice up your life” – that is the pithy promise of the “Hot Chip Challenge”. A promise that, as current events show, not only makes people's mouths sharper, but also causes quite a stir. The combination of a hype product and children and young people's willingness to take risks made the tortilla chip a hit in schools and therefore inevitably also on social media. But what started as viral fun ended in a serious medical emergency.

The spicy snack trend led to a large-scale emergency medical intervention at a comprehensive school in North Rhine-Westphalia. Several students tried the extremely hot chip - with dramatic consequences. Some reported difficulty breathing, while others experienced sore and watery eyes after accidentally touching their eyes.

The problem: The chip is not only extremely sharp, it is downright fiery. The collision of inexperience and the snack's record spiciness is a dangerous combination. The current TikTok trend shows countless videos of people taking on the challenge of eating the tortilla snack without losing their composure. But while adults with experience in handling spicy foods may be able to bite through it, children and young people who take on the challenge are much more at risk.

The recent incidents in Euskirchen are a striking example of this. Untrained and curious students dared to attack the fiery chip and experienced painful consequences. But it's not just physical complaints that are the problem. The Hot Chip Challenge phenomenon exposes the fragility of social media trends and the potential danger they pose.

The dark side of social media trends

The Hot Chip Challenge is just one example of many of the dangers that can lurk behind seemingly harmless internet trends. We at Mimikama warn for caution and demand clear guidelines for potentially dangerous products, especially if they are aimed at children and young people. This isn't the first time social media trends have posed serious health risks. But the Hot Chip Challenge takes it to a new level by playing with extreme reactions to the spicy snack.

What can we do as a community?

  1. Stay in dialogue with young people and children.
  2. Detect and report dangerous online challenges to platforms and complaint centers.
  3. Create awareness. Share information, but not the dangerous videos themselves.
  4. Support children and young people to think critically and question online content.

Conclusion: Viral, but at what cost?

While the hype surrounding the Hot Chip Challenge continues, it is important to be aware of the real risks. A brief moment of internet fame can have long-term health consequences.

Also read: When parents hit their children over the head with raw eggs!
TikTok and the #eggcrackchallenge: Innocent fun or cause for concern?

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )