Health Alert: Risky Chips Still Sold in France Despite Warnings

It’s been over 200 years since potato chips first crunched onto the scene! Their alleged inventor, a chef named George Crum, could hardly have imagined that his spur-of-the-moment recipe would achieve global popularity. According to legend, during one service, Crum encountered a particularly fussy customer who complained that his french fries were too thick and sent them back twice. In frustration, Crum sliced the potatoes as thinly as possible, which, to his surprise, delighted the critical patron.

Since then, potato chips have become a staple at gatherings and picnics, undergoing several transformations in shape and flavor driven by innovative food manufacturers. Gone are the days of simple salted rounds; now, chips come in waffle cuts and flavors like barbecue, sour cream and onion, vinegar, paprika, and roast chicken.

In terms of creativity, they’re a hit, but nutritionally, it’s best not to look too closely. Chips are notoriously high in fat, salt, calories, and are very addictive, making them far from a favorite among nutrition experts, who much prefer vegetable sticks. Moreover, some chips pose additional health risks not related to overweight or obesity, which can be quite serious.

In 2023, a tragic incident occurred when an American teenager died after consuming a Paqui chip made with Carolina Reaper and Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers as part of the “One Chip Challenge” on social media. Known as the world’s spiciest, the chip registered around 2 million units on the Scoville scale (compared to just 50,000 units for a typical hot pepper). Although the autopsy could not definitively link the chip to his death, Paqui ceased its production immediately.

However, a Czech manufacturer has picked up where Paqui left off. Dubbed the “Hot Chip Challenge” and sold in a coffin-shaped box like its predecessor, this chip also features similarly powerful peppers, rated at 1.8 to 2.2 million Scoville units. This chip is readily available online in France, but no longer in Belgium, where it was banned from sale as of February 2024 following a report by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca). They concluded that its consumption “poses a risk to consumers since respiratory, skin, and eye problems are not ruled out,” according to 60 Millions de Consommateurs.

The American poison control center also warns that ingesting high levels of capsaicin, the active component in chili peppers, can cause “shortness of breath, allergic reactions, chest pain, heart palpitations, and even heart attacks or strokes.” It might not be worth the risk.