Viral food trends: Try it or skip it?

Introduction

Social media is filled with food challenges and hacks that let users join in on the thrill of something new. However, many of these trends are not backed by science. Following them could lead to acute conditions and even life-threatening complications. That’s why it’s important to ask: should you try a viral food trend or skip it. 

Food trends and their associated risks

In some food challenges, normally safe ingredients can become dangerous if they are misused. Take the Hot pepper challenge, where one swallows increasingly spicy peppers whole. Too much capsaicin - the compound giving peppers their heat - can irritate the gut, triggering abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. It can also lead to respiratory symptoms such as wheezing and dry cough. These effects could be even worse for those with a sensitivity to capsaicin.

Some food trends also ignore basic food safety principles. For example, the Nyquil Chicken Challenge involves boiling chicken in cough syrup. Nyquil is not a suitable medium for cooking chicken thoroughly. Undercooked chicken can contain bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, which can lead to food poisoning. Furthermore, boiling Nyquil makes it more concentrated, altering its properties and potentially becoming toxic to consume. For more information on these pathogens, please visit: A-Z Food Safety.

Lastly, many challenges can lead to adverse health effects. For example, the dry-scooping and the cinnamon powder challenge are choking hazards because they involve swallowing powder that can enter the windpipe and lungs. Other trends have led to fatalities. The Paqui One Chip Challenge, which dares people to eat an extremely spicy chip without water, has led to a teen dying of cardiac arrest linked to his consumption of the Paqui chip. 

How can I protect myself from the harms of food trends?

• Be aware of the content you consume on social media. To guard yourself against online misinformation, such as deepfakes, you may refer to NLB’s 4 steps to be SURE infographic.
• Exercise caution when participating in food trends or hacks. Consider if you have any health conditions (e.g. allergies) that could put you at risk of serious health complications. If unsure, look up the risks from trustworthy sources (e.g. SFA or other competent authorities).
• Purchase food products from established and reliable sellers that source their products from reputable suppliers.

• Consume food products as directed in the packaging label.