What is the hottest chip in the world

Calling all fearless foodies! Paqui Tortilla Chips has announced the return of its infamous #OneChipChallenge, daring heat seekers (or those wanting to spice up their social media content) to consume a single, individually wrapped “high voltage chip” seasoned with two of the hottest peppers in the world. 

Aptly named “The Reaper,” the 2022 tortilla chip is spiced with the Carolina Reaper Pepper and Scorpion Pepper which both register nearly 2 million blazing Scoville heat units. The rules of the challenge are simple yet stinging: Eat the entire chip, wait as long as possible before drinking or eating anything for relief, and post the reaction on social media using the #OneChipChallenge hashtag. 

The One Chip Challenge was first introduced by the Hershey Co. subsidiary in 2016 and took over the internet with thousands of masticating masochists participating in the viral dare. To prevent cheating, this year’s chip even turns players’ tongues bright blue. 

"Each year, the team here at Paqui raises the bar and develops an intensely thrilling challenge that pushes the fearless to their limit," said Brandon Kieffer, Paqui Senior Brand Manager, in a statement. "Fans be warned, this year's chip isn't for the faint of heart and there's no cheating the test. Only the bravest will be able to prove they faced the Reaper when they show off their blue tongue after completing the challenge."

While Paqui’s website cheekily boasts that the chip was “created for the shocking pleasure of intense heat and pain,” it isn’t all fun and games. Considering the Carolina Reaper holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s hottest pepper and is bred to be 100 times spicier than a jalapeno, the capsaicin-cursed chip challenge has a history of casualties including multiple hospitalizations for post-consumption symptoms including loss of consciousness, seizures, and intense vomiting.  

If the prospect of impending gastrointestinal doom excites rather than deters you, The Reaper is available on Amazon for $8.99 with a clear disclaimer on its coffin-shaped package: “Seek medical assistance should you experience difficulty breathing, fainting, or extended nausea.”