In Japan, 14 students were brought to the hospital after snacking on 18+ curry chips with ghost peppers on Tuesday, July 16.
Complaints of queasiness and severe pain around the mouth and in the stomach among 30 Rokugo Koka High School students led to 13 girls' and one boy's hospitalization. One student had to be put in a wheelchair.
The company producing the chips, Isoyama Corp, apologized for the "inconvenience" it had caused consumers, "sincerely wish[ing] for the swift recovery of those who have reported feeling unwell."
"So spicy they might cause you pain," the chips are not for persons under 18, says the company's website. They advise against consuming the snack if a person has a weak stomach, high blood pressure, is "too scared," or if alone.
Bhut Jolokia, more commonly known as the ghost pepper, is one of the world's hottest chili peppers with a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating of above a million. It may cause digestive issues such as stomach cramps and diarrhea, as well as shortness of breath and coughing, skin irritation, and allergic reactions like swelling.
