Food challenge

Food challenges, such as the gallon challenge or the saltine cracker challenge, are specific challenges or competitions involving food.[1] Milk chugging is a popular competitive eating challenge on college campuses, and was promoted by MTV's Jackass in the early 2000s via their various food skits.[2][3] Some challenges involve eating foods that may be considered disgusting by those taking the challenge.[4][5]

With the rise of the Internet, Internet phenomena have increasingly spread through chain emails, YouTube, and social media, encouraging people to "challenge" their friends by spreading the message to others, as well as creating viral Internet memes.

Some "challenges" on the internet can seriously harm participants. The cinnamon challenge, a dare to attempt to eat a specified amount of ground cinnamon within a minute, has a strong risk of people gagging on cinnamon inhaled into the lungs.[6] In July 2015, a four-year-old boy died of asphyxiation after accidentally inhaling some cinnamon.[7]

  1. ^ "Matt Stonie beats Joey Chestnut to win Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest" ESPN. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  2. ^ Young, Luke (2006-08-29). "Chugging for glory". Technician. Archived from the original on 2010-02-12. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
  3. ^ Colin Campbell; Taylor Knop (June 16, 2015). "NC legislators chug milk in annual contest". News & Observer.
  4. ^ "'Survivor': Jeff Probst names grossest food challenge dish ever". EW.com. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  5. ^ Misenheimer, Sofia. "A YouTuber Tried 2 Of Montreal's Most Disgusting Food Challenges & Somehow Conquered Both (VIDEO) - MTL Blog". www.mtlblog.com. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  6. ^ Painter, Kim. "Cinnamon challenge". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2012-03-19.
  7. ^ "Kentucky Mom Urges Kids To Stop 'Cinnamon Challenge' After Son Dies: 'Cinnamon Can Kill'". Medical Daily. June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2016.