Fourteen high school students in Tokyo were hospitalised after consuming super-spicy potato chips made from Bhut Jolokia, one of the hottest chili peppers in the world. A student had brought the chips to school “for fun,” despite a warning from the manufacturer that the product was not made for those who are under 18.
Bhut Jolokia, also known as Raja Mirchi, King Chilli, Naga Jolokia, Ghost Pepper, and Ghost Chilli Pepper, is renowned as one of the hottest chilli peppers in the world.
According to the BBC, around 30 students tasted the R 18+ curry chips, and out of them a total of 14, including 13 girls and a boy, were hospitalised on July 16. One student became so ill that they had to be transported to the hospital in a wheelchair, as reported by The Independent.
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Many students began experiencing nausea and severe pain around their mouths, prompting emergency calls to the fire department and police.
Company Issues Apology
Acoording to a report in BBC news, Isoyama Corp, the company that manufactures the snack, issued an apology for “any inconvenience” caused and wished the students a speedy recovery. The website of the company is filled with warnings about the “R 18+ curry chips,” noting that the crisps are “so spicy that they may cause you pain.”
The website advises avoiding the chips entirely and cautions those people who have high blood pressure, weak stomachs, and cuts on their fingers. It also discourages individuals who are “timid or too scared” from trying the snack.
