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14 Tokyo high schoolers taken to hospital after eating spicy chips

41 Comments

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Sounds like a case of mass hysteria! One high school girl says they are so hot and spicy and then they all start to feel the same. I've never heard of these chips before, I was only familiar with the "one chip challenge" that was stopped since they were too spicy!

21 ( +26 / -5 )

Easily resolved with a cup of milk. And some adult supervision.

16 ( +23 / -7 )

Most Japanese and westerners are not used to spicy food. I have met many foreigners who can’t eat Thai food and only eat McDonald’s when traveling to countries with spicy dishes. Also these chips are aimed at people over 18. Children should not be given or sold these chips. Hopefully the government steps in to control their sale.

-18 ( +6 / -24 )

Easily resolved with a cup of milk. And some adult supervision.

And the eyewatering lesson when the product exits the body.

20 ( +21 / -1 )

Damn! I want to try them chips!

And the eyewatering lesson when the product exits the body.

I would recommend washlets. Otherwise that exit will feel like the inside of your car cigarette lighter.

18 ( +21 / -3 )

These sound like my kind of chips. They might keep others from munching without asking.

16 ( +16 / -0 )

Just checked up on those chips. Ridiculously expensive. Almost 2000 yen for a pack. Certainly will not be buying those.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Some kid died of a heart attack a few months back from an individually packed spicy chip in the U.S. I guess. The morning news cast on now are eating these Japanese chips like grapes lol

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Just checked up on those chips. Ridiculously expensive. Almost 2000 yen for a pack. Certainly will not be buying those.

On Amazon, half the price on Rakuten. Looks like the type of weird product you could probably get at Don Quijote.

14 ( +14 / -0 )

On Amazon, half the price on Rakuten. Looks like the type of weird product you could probably get at Don Quijote.

THanks! I'll check again.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

This reminds me of that US rapper who got hospitalized for eating too much hot cheetos. I also remember a trend in my home country where they eat that insanely-hot Samyang instant yakisoba. I have those at home and I can eat them just fine. I'm Southeast Asian and we love spicy foods. My parents eat bird's eye chili during meals and they're unfazed by it.

Back on the topic, I second the argument that most westerners and Japanese aren't used to spicy foods. What the Japanese consider spicy is still bland for my Southeast Asian taste. But, I wouldn't downplay the pain those kids went through, especially if they're not used to it. I just wonder why are those things sold to 18+ people? Do their taste buds get tougher when they age?

8 ( +8 / -0 )

And weren't they all transported to the hospital with sirens blaring reinforcing the hysteria created among the children?

When you look at your insurance premium, think about how many fake emergencies you are paying for.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

after 13 girls and one boy, all first-year students, at Rokugo Koka High School in Tokyo's Ota Ward complained of nausea, as well as stomach and mouth pain, according to the Tokyo Fire Department and local police.

All are believed to have minor symptoms.

give me a break.

then they should never eat the spice they got up in Seoul. Now, that stuff will burn you.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

How times have changed. When I was a kid it was about underage drinking, smoking or sex, but now underage potato chip eating? No wonder the birth rate is going down..

15 ( +19 / -4 )

I feel bad for the kids, but the Japanese people are well-known for being unable to eat spicy foods as hot peppers were not native to Japan and not part of the local cuisine.

It is sad that most restaurants will advertise "Geki kara!" but the food is not spicy. When Japanese people come into contact with REAL spicy food, they cannot tell the difference between Japanese "Super spicy!"(not spicy) and foods that are spicy.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Most Japanese and westerners are not used to spicy food. I have met many foreigners who can’t eat Thai food and only eat McDonald’s when traveling to countries with spicy dishes. Also these chips are aimed at people over 18. Children should not be given or sold these chips. Hopefully the government steps in to control their sale.

I believe this. I grew up on Mexican food. In fact, I was given La Victoria hot sauce when I was a toddler, as I'm sure a lot of toddlers from Latino families. My relatives put lemon and Tabasco sauce on their popcorn. No problems for me. Just goes back to taking caution when eating that or anything that you're not familiar with.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

This is good publicity for Isoyama. People will end up buying the chips to see what all the fuss was about.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

This is good publicity for Isoyama. People will end up buying the chips to see what all the fuss was about.

Hitting Mega Don Quijote today, tired of being duped by the "hell spicy" dishes/snacks in this place but these chips might be worth a try

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I want to try these! Where can I get them?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

As one of the westerners who absolutely cannot handle spicy food I really feel for the kids. A Thai friend once took me to a genuine Thai restaurant in Tokyo, and I genuinely almost died. My taske buds were completely numb for days afterwards.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Hopefully the government steps in to control their sale.

No... just no. You need to rely on your own accountability and common sense, of which there is way too little of in todays society. Everyone relies on some agency to protect them from their selves, a and take no responsibility for less than intelligent acts. These kids learned a life lesson that they will remember.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

At least they are finding out, albeit the hard way that Japanese don’t do spicy.,,,

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Sometimes I wonder if children in Japan are so overly protected that their immune system doesn't get to develop as much as children raised abroad.

For example, in my country having only a mild fever wasn't really something to worry about. If there were not debilitating symptoms, there was no need to be absent from class and go to the doctor. No need to avoid exposing others to some possible disease. Just taking some medicine was enough. Go, attend school, no problem.

It may sound irresponsible nowadays, but that's how it was, some thirty years ago. And no problem at all. During my entire school life I wasn't able to attend class maybe 10 days at most.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I usually eat geki kara with no problem at all as I grew up eating Mexican, Thai, S. Korean, and other spicy cuisines. But I do understand what these kids are going through and it is brutal. I once tried a geki kara challenge at a Thai restaurant that has had only 2 people complete the bowl in under 30 minutes or something of the latter. First couple of bites in, it felt like a walk in the park. It was delicious and I could definitely see myself finishing with ease. Then after about the half way mark, my face suddenly turned pale according to my wife. I was sweating like the time I had the flu, and I felt extremely nauseous to which I had to forfeit and began to return everything out the other way. After that day, I learned my body won't accept too spicy even if my mouth says more. So I am never doing those challenges again.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Well, in my generation, high school first graders still read school books, solved homeworks and learned for tests and exams. But no problem, eating dangerously spicy potato chips is still by far not the worst thing they could do nowadays in our sick world.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I've never understood why some people consider painful lips, tongue, and buccal mucosa to be a pleasurable dining experience. (Not to mention the "afterburn" later on.)

To me, "burning" is not a flavor, but something to be avoided. It's so strange to me that people seek it out.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

 I just wonder why are those things sold to 18+ people? Do their taste buds get tougher when they age?

Advertising. What better way to get kids to buy junk food, just to try it, by just telling them no!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The title "high schoolers" says it all! Who hasn't had a laugh with their mates. Just know what your limits are... I hope they're all OK. Kids...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I like well spicy, lol. But sometimes in these products it just tastes of cheap chili powder you see.

Still, it’s very queer that so many kids claimed such a reaction to them, probably is mass hysteria like someone else said.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

@ MarkX

""Sounds like a case of mass hysteria! ............""

Agree, all it takes is one cry and they all will. and if you don't they look at you as if you crazy.

It's all about the conforming or you OUT.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

"On its official website, the company "forbids" those under 18 from consuming the chips due to their extreme spiciness and urges spice lovers to eat with caution."

I'm curious what forbidding young people from eating spicy food accomplishes. If anything, their bodies are FAR better equipped at dealing with such things than middle-aged and elderly people. Like, what changes on their 18th birthday that they can suddenly eat these potato chips safely? I know I can't handle the vindaloo like I used to, and when eating wings I have to stick with milder sauces than what I did as a kid or I'll be toast the next day.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Such a teenage kind of thing to do.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I remember recently reading that these extremely spicy chips have been banned in Denmark.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Classic example of mass hysteria.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I love spicy hot food, but I don't bother with it anymore. I'd go to a restaurant and ask for the hottest dish and it always came back slightly spicy at best. A lot of people beating their chests, "Give me hot as you got" then they would whine that it was too hot and would get a less spicy replacement, costing the restaurant money. I gave up and order non-spicy food because I ain't gonna get it. I was raised on Mexican and spicy American dishes and was married to a Korean and I ate what she ate. But no restaurant gives me what I want so I just gave up.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

“The ghost pepper (aka the Bhut Jolokia) is one of the hottest peppers in the world, topping over 1 Million Scoville Heat Units.”

Quote from Chilli Pepper Madness

2 ( +2 / -0 )

(That is the ingredient that the screenshot above advertises.)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

the company "forbids" those under 18 from consuming the chips

Are store clerks supposed to card people for spicy food too now?

"First they came for our alcohol, but I was not an alcoholic. Then they came for our cigarettes, but I was not a chain smoker, then they came for our vapes, but I wasn't a darth vaper, now they've come for our spicy chips and there's no one left to stand up for me."

1 ( +1 / -0 )

nandakandamanda

Today 01:13 am JST

“The ghost pepper (aka the Bhut Jolokia) is one of the hottest peppers in the world, topping over 1 Million Scoville Heat Units.”

Chips usually use more salt than they do the actual spice. It's like calling american cheese as cheese, or margarine as butter.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@桜川雪 So are you saying they all went to hospital from eating too much salt?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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