Japanese Students In Hospital After Eating Chips Made From Indian Bhut Jolokia (image/isoyama.corp)
At least 14 high school students in Tokyo, Japan were admitted to the hospital on Tuesday after consuming “extremely spicy” potato chips made using bhut jolokia, also known as Indian ghost pepper.
Reportedly, a male student brought the chips to his school “just for fun” on Tuesday, and around 30 students ate the spicy chips made by Isoyama Corp. Shortly after, some students started complaining of nausea and acute pain in their mouths.
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Tokyo’s Rokugo Koka High School called the emergency services after 13 girls and one boy complained of pain. The first-year students were rushed to the hospital. According to media reports, they are not in serious condition.
Releasing a statement on Wednesday, Isoyama Corp. “apologised for any inconvenience” to customers and wished for their speedy recovery. The company also highlighted that the chips come with a warning saying that the snacks should not be consumed by those under the age of 18.
“People aged under 18 should refrain from eating this product because it is too spicy. Not only people who are not good at spicy foods but also those who like spicy foods need to be cautious while eating this product,” said the brand as per a report in The Independent.
A quick visit to Isoyama Corp.’s website reveals that the chips called “R 18+ Curry Chips” are not for the faint-hearted. The potato chips are “so spicy that they may cause you pain,” says the website. Additionally, the chipmaker also warns people with weak stomachs, low spice tolerance, and high blood pressure to avoid the product.
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“King Cobra Chilli” aka Bhut Jolokia
One of the hottest chilli peppers in the world, Bhut Jolokia, is cultivated in northeast India, especially in Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland. Once earning the title of the world’s hottest chilli pepper by the Guinness World Record from 2007–2011, the ghost pepper is rated at more than one million Scoville Heat Units (SHU). It is also known as “king chilli” or “king cobra chilli” in the northeast region.
