Teen died of cardiac arrest after eating spicy tortilla chip packaged in coffin-shaped box: autopsy

A 14-year-old from Massachusetts died after taking part in the "One Chip Challenge". His cousin said he was intelligent, quirky and incredibly talented.

A 14-year-old boy in the United States died of cardiac arrest last year after taking part in a social media challenge daring people to eat a single extremely hot tortilla chip, an autopsy revealed Thursday.

Harris Wolobah's family had an online fundraiser to raise money for his funeral. (www.gofundme.com)

The teenager from Massachusetts, Harris Wolobah, died in September after taking part in the so-called "One Chip Challenge" -- which involved a single chip produced by Paqui, dusted with Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers.

The dare has manifested in several iterations over the years, with the peppers changing each time.

The local chief medical examiner determined that Harris died of cardiac arrest after ingesting a food with a large amount of a chili pepper extract called capsaicin, said the autopsy report, seen by news agency AFP.

The autopsy also concluded that the teen had an enlarged heart, which could have contributed to his death.

Days after his death, Paqui removed the product -- packaged in a coffin-shaped box with a red skull and marked 'extreme heat' -- from store shelves.

His cousin had started a fundraiser on GoFundMe, seeking financial help for his family for Wolobah's funeral expenses.

“Harris was a light that lit up the room with his presence and subtle charm. He was an intelligent, quirky and incredibly talented young man who loved video games and playing basketball," Tashia Roberts had said on the fundraiser page.

In California, three youths were hospitalised after taking part in the spicy chip challenge, and seven got sick in Minnesota for the same reason, according to media reports.

What is ‘One Chip Challenge’?

The ‘One Chip Challenge’ is a viral social media trend that started as a marketing campaign by chip company, Paqui. It was started in 2016.

People buy the chip, flavoured with Carolina Reaper pepper, and film themselves having it to document how long they can go on eating it without drinking or eating anything for relief. The pepper used in the chip is considered the hottest pepper in the world.