Fourteen high school students in Japan were rushed to hospital on Tuesday after eating “super spicy” chips.
According to a report from the University of Tokyo, about 30 students ate the spicy snack, which was brought to school in Tokyo by one of their classmates. The Japanese Times.
The incident occurred when several students experienced severe nausea and acute pain around their mouths shortly after eating the chips, prompting immediate calls to the fire department and police.
Of those affected, 13 girls and one boy were taken to hospital. Fortunately, all were conscious and reportedly had only mild symptoms.
The snack in question, known as “R 18+ curry chips,” is produced by Isoyama Corp.
Fourteen high school students in Japan were rushed to hospital on Tuesday after eating “super spicy” potato chips called R 18+ curry chips
The company has issued a public statement apologizing for the “inconvenience” to customers while wishing students a speedy recovery.
Isoyama Corp.’s website is full of warnings about the extremely spicy flavor of the chips, which are spiked with ghost pepper — or bhut jolokia — one of the world’s hottest peppers, native to northeastern India.
Other products with extremely high spiciness listed on the website include: 18+ Curry Ramen, 18+ Chili Pepper, 18+ Chocolate, and 18+ Curry (dangerous).
The website strongly advises against anyone under the age of 18 consuming the hot pepper products, and even seasoned fans of spicy peppers are warned to be careful.
The company strongly advises against eating the chips and warns of possible side effects, such as diarrhea, if consumed in excess.
People with high blood pressure, a weak stomach or cuts on their fingers are strongly advised not to eat this snack.
A warning on Isoyama Corp’s website about the intense heat of its products reads: “”Not for use by people under 18!!” is the tagline of the spicy 18+ series! Recommended for those who love spicy food!
“But because it is so spicy, you should not eat it if you have high blood pressure, poor health or a weak stomach.”
Isoyama Corp.’s website is full of warnings about the extremely spicy flavor of the chips, which are infused with ghost pepper
In a video shared by Japanese user @3xl_kuma, he tries a single chip, chews it several times, and then appears to quickly wince in pain
X owner Elon Musk has also given his opinion on the trending snack
Reports show that one student brought the chips to school “for fun” without realizing the potential consequences.
This led to a wave of reactions on social media, particularly TikTok, with users posting a ‘spicy meter’ to illustrate the intensity of the chips and sharing videos of their own painful experiences consuming the product.
In a videoshared by Japanese user @3xl_kuma, he tries a single chip and chews on it several times, after which he quickly appears to wince in pain and clench his fists, his eyes watering and his skin turning red.
X owner Elon Musk also responded to the trending snack by commenting on a tweet reporting on the high school students and saying, “They must be really tough!”
It comes after doctors warned that fans of a popular type of super-spicy ramen are at risk of kidney problems that could lead to blood poisoning, after a woman was rushed to the emergency room after eating a jar of Buldak ramen.