A tortilla chip makerB次元官网网址檚 decision to pull its extremely spicy product sold as a B次元官网网址淥ne Chip ChallengeB次元官网网址� from store shelves following the has renewed attention on the popularity B次元官网网址� and risks B次元官网网址� of similar dares marketed by brands and spread widely online.

Spicy food challenges have been around for years. From local chile pepper eating contests to restaurant walls of fame for those who finished extra hot dishes, people around the world have been daring each other to eat especially fiery foods, with some experts pointing to the internal rush of competition and risk-taking.

But extremely spicy products created and marketed solely for the challenges B次元官网网址� and possible internet fame B次元官网网址� is a more recent phenomenon, and teens are particularly exposed to them because of social media, associate professor of psychology at Florida International University Elisa Trucco says.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 a B次元官网网址済lamorization of these challenges on social media,B次元官网网址� Trucco said. B次元官网网址淵ou see a lot of B次元官网网址榣ikesB次元官网网址� or comments (indicating) social status or popularity from these challenges, but you donB次元官网网址檛 see a lot of the negative consequences B次元官网网址� like the trips to the E.R. or other injuries.B次元官网网址�

Alexander DePaoli, an associate teaching professor of marketing at Northeastern University, added that people may put themselves through discomfort and share it online for a sense of B次元官网网址渋n-group belonging,B次元官网网址� similar to offline challenges as a game of truth or dare.

A YouTube series called B次元官网网址淗ot Ones,B次元官网网址� for example, rose to internet fame several years ago with videos of celebritiesB次元官网网址� reactions to eating spicy wings. Meanwhile, restaurants nationwide continue to offer in-person challenges B次元官网网址� from Buffalo Wild WingsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淏lazinB次元官网网址� ChallengeB次元官网网址� to the B次元官网网址淗ell ChallengeB次元官网网址� of Wing King in Las Vegas. In both challenges, patrons over 18 can attempt to eat a certain amount of wings doused in extra hot sauce in limited time without drinking or eating other food.

Chile pepper eating contests are also regularly hosted around the world. Last year, Gregory Foster ate 10 Carolina Reaper chillies, which Guinness World Records has named the hottest in the world, at a record time of 33.15 seconds in San Diego, California.

In most cases, people will choose to participate in challenges that they are trained for or donB次元官网网址檛 consider to be truly dangerous. But a line is crossed when someone gets hurt, DePaoli noted.

While for 10th-grader Harris Wolobah are still pending, the teenB次元官网网址檚 family allege that the One Chip Challenge is responsible for his Sept. 1 death. The product, manufactured by Paqui, instructs participants to eat an eponymously named chip and then see how long they can go without consuming other food and water.

Sales of the chip seem largely driven by people posting videos on social media of them or their friends taking the challenge. They show people, including teens and children, eating the chips and then reacting to the heat. Some videos show people gagging, coughing and begging for water.

Since WolobahB次元官网网址檚 death, Paqui has asked retailers to stop selling the product and some health experts have pointed to potential dangers of eating such spicy products under certain circumstances, particularly depending on the amount of capsaicin, a component that gives chile peppers their heat.

But there are plenty of similar products that remain online and on store shelves, including Red Hot ReaperB次元官网网址檚 One Chip Challenge, Blazing FoodsB次元官网网址� Death Nut Challenge and Tube of Terror Challenge as well as Wilder ToysB次元官网网址� Hot Ones Truth or Dab sauce game. The Associated Press reached out to each company after Paqui pulled its own product, but did not receive a response.

DePaoli said itB次元官网网址檚 not unusual for companies to engage in viral marketing.

B次元官网网址淚t is unusual, however, to have something where the brand actually wants you to put something into your body,B次元官网网址� he said. Companies B次元官网网址渄onB次元官网网址檛 want to be liable for that.B次元官网网址�

Despite warnings or labels specifying adult-use only, the products can still get into the hands of young people who might not understand the risks, Trucco added.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a reason why these challenges are appealing,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭his type of marketing sells.B次元官网网址�

READ ALSO: