The Zambia Daily Mail reports that Nkole Mulambia, an 11 year old student died after choking during an eating contest held at his school.
Foodbeast.com has a writeup of an interview Adam Richman did with Mike Chen of Strictly Dumpling. The former Man v. Food host claims that Munchies in Sarasota, FL put an entire bottle of ghost chili extract into its 420 hot wings challenge, which made breathing difficult.
The Hindu reports that a 14 year old girl passed away in Neelankarai, India after fainting in a samosa eating contest she was having with friends. This is the second competitive eating fatality in India in 2018.
Health.com has an article titled "Is it Dangerous to Eat Really Hot Peppers?"
Tamil.samayam.com reports that a competitor in an idly eating contest in Pudukkottai, India passed away after choking. Vikatan.com and puthiyathalaimurai.com also have articles. update Jan 18 New Indian Express has an English article which states that the competition did not allow entrants to drink. update Jan 22 The International Business Times has an article giving the name of the deceased as S Chinnathambi
An interview with Mort Hurst after he returned to competitive eating after a quarter century absence followning a 1991 stroke is one of the News and Observer's favorite videos of 2017.
Popular Science has a column asking "Is it possible to eat so much that your stomach explodes?" which claims that there have been six documented cases of stomach rupture due to overeating.
Newtown Bee has a report on the "Celebration of Kindness and day of remembrance" held in Newtown, CT on October 27 to honor Caitlin Nelson, who passed away after choking in a pancake eating contest held at Sacred Heart University in March.
Heeb Magazine reposted a 2010 article about Jewish competitive eating focusing on "Krazy" Kevin Lipsitz also containing quotes from Brian Seiken and Don Lerman. The article raises the possibility if digestive disorders like Crohn's Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which are more likely to affect Jews, are holding back Jewish competitive eaters.
The Odyssey Online has an article about mukbang eating videos with a quote from Erik "The Electric" Lamkin.
The Scottish Sun reports that Elizabeth Branning was hospitalized after she ate a Carolina Reaper pepper, billed as the world's spiciest, in a charity challenge.
RIP "Tiny" Tim Rauscheder, who passed away on October 30 according to these youtube comments. LA Beast confirmed the passing on twitter. 2013 Cleveland.com article about Tim.
The second part of BBC's World Service Food Chain podcast about competitive eating is available online. This program focuses on the health aspects of competitive eating with Erik Lamkin discussing his history with eating disorders. Andrei Sidorov also attempts the Iron Pig Challenge at Porky's BBQ.
Mort Hurst returned from a quarter-century absence from competitive eating with a win at the Ayden (NC) Collard Festival. Hurst gained fame for his eating exploits in the late 1980s, then put his career on hiatus after suffering a stroke in 1991. Reflector.com has an article about his comeback. update WNCT has an article
NewsObserver.com has a profile of Mort Hurst, whose eating feats achieved notoriety in the late 1980s. He will make a comeback at the Ayden, NC Collard Festival on September 9 after a 1991 stroke resulted in his retirement from competitive eating. update Sept 8article about Hurst's comeback
Malaysian Digest reports that Nigerian college student Borokinni Sunday Pelumi passed away after choking in a bread eating contest held during the birthday celebration of a friend at a hotel in Port Dickson, Malayasia.
Time of India reports that a spicy chilli burger eating contest in Delhi, India resulted in a stomach rupture for the winner, Garv Gupta, that hospitalized him.
An entrant in a spicy chilli pepper eating contest was hospitalized Saturday in a competition in Canberra, ACT, Australia. Despite the incident, a second contest was held today.
The Sporkful has an interview with Tim "Eater X" Janus on how health concerns led to his retirement from competitive eating in 2015. (The first half of the program is a rerun of a 2012 podcast).
A hot dog eating contest at the Route 66 Summerfest in Rolla, MO was terminated yesterday after an entrant needed emergency medical attention. The fate of the competitor is currently unknown. update The Rolla Daily News facebook reports that he is currently at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis and listed in stable condition. (via Greg comment)
Newyork.CBSlocal.com reports that 210,606 pounds of supermarket hot dogs have been recalled due to metal contamination. The faulty products are 14 ounce packages of “Nathan’s Skinless 8 Beef Franks†with a use by date of August 19, and 16 ounce packages of “Curtis Beef Master Beef Franks†with a use by date of June 15.
Eater.com produced a video examining the issue of liability for competitive eating injuries and fatalities. The video has a clip of Brian Dudzinski training with water, but does not mention his 2014 hospitalization from that activity.
"Furious" Pete Czerwinski produced a video where he commented on the recent competitive eating fatalities and talked about his own incidents. He described choking during a Guinness record attempt on live British television, which can be viewed online.
"Furious" Pete Czerwinski announces that he has completed his chemotherapy treatment for testicular cancer. Hopefully it will knock out the disease for good.
Competitive Eating/Drinking fatalities, updated April 4, 2017
I have updated the list of competitive eating / drinking fatalities with 2015-17 passings. I do not claim this a full roster, just incidents which have been publicized on English language newspapers and websites.
Previous edition of list (last updated Nov 2014)
1906 Normburg, IL Cheese contest results in fatality and put two others in critical condition
1983 North Carolina Marine dies in donut eating contest at the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station
1999 Chicago, a 12 year old school girl dies playing “Chubby Bunny” in an unsupervised classroom. The goal of “Chubby Bunny” is to say “Chubby Bunny” after stuffing one’s mouth with as many marshmallows as possible.
2002 Japan, school boy dies in cafeteria after attempting a stunt seen on a televised eating contest.
2004 Canada man dies after choking in chicken wing eating contest held at Regina bar.
2004 Japan, housewife dies in bread eating contest in Fukusaki, Hyogo Prefecture
2006 Canada, woman dies in “Chubby Bunny” contest held at Ontario fair
2007 Sacramento, woman dies of water intoxication after competing in a bladder endurance contest sponsored by a radio station.
2007 India, man (believed to be epileptic) dies from breathing complications in an idli eating contest
2008 Wales, man dies in unplanned post party cupcake contest to use up left over buffet food. Articles about the contest do not make it clear if the contest was a mouth-stuffing contest or a speed eating contest
2008 Taiwan graduate student dies after victory in a steamed bun eating contest
2008 India, engineer at Nokia Siemens of India chokes after making a pastry eating bet at a company party.
2009 Kaliningrad, Russia Boris Isaev chokes in pancake eating contest
2009 Hyderabad, India Bandu Joshi dies after stuffing 6 laddus into his mouth
2010 Phetchchaburi, Thailand 66 year old Hing Laichan dies after choking in noodle eating contest
2010 San Pedro, California 13 year old Noah Akers choked on a hot dog topped with whipped cream at a fundraiser for Haiti
2011 Tokmak, Ukraine 77 year old Ivan Mendel wins dumpling eating contest, then dies
2011 Timonium, Maryland (near death experience) Michael Solano lacks a pulse for four minutes after choking at a crab cake eating contest, then recovers after hospitalization
2012 Deerfield Beach, Florida Eddy Archbold dies after winning an insect eating contest held at a reptile store
2012 Surrey, BC Samaljit Aulakh experiences brain damage after choking in a gulab jamun eating contest. As of July 2013, he remained hospitalized.
2012 Tunisia Dau Fatnassi dies after eating 28 raw eggs to win a bet
2013 India, 13 year old schoolboy Bharat Sharma chokes to death after attempting to swallow two idlis
2013 England Sharon Dixon passes away after choking on boiled eggs at a pub’s eating contest
2013 Australia 64 year old Bruce Holland experiences a fatal heart attack while participating in a tavern’s chilli pie eating contest
2013 Spain JoaquÃn Alcaraz Gracia passes away after winning a beer drinking contest
2013 Romania unnamed 60 year old chokes to death in a sausage eating contest.
2014 England Gary Mark Sims choked after attempting to swallow three eggs at a time at a pub in Berkeley, England
2014 Custer, SD Walter Eagle Tail chokes to death in a July 3 hot dog eating contest
2014 Nellukuthupara, India Kandamuthan chokes in an idli eating contest
2014 Staryl, Ukraine Lyana Koroleva experiences a heart attack while waiting to receive a prize for winning a vareniki (dumpling) eating contest
2015 Uganda 30 year old man passes away after eating 8 mandazzis (doughnuts). He did not drink any water
2016 Indonesia Jakarta resident chokes on piece of chicken trying to qualify for a Kentucky Fried Chicken of Indonesia contest
2016 Santa Fe, NM Debra Harbeck chokes after competing in corn dog eating contest where participants simulated performing oral sex. She had had a blood alcohol content between 0.13 and 0.14 percent
2016 Kenya Eating contest held at a funeral results in blocked windpipe
2016 Japan 28 year old male chokes on rice ball
2017 South Korea Freshman orientation eating contest results in airway obstruction for female student
2017 Fairfield, CT Sacred Heart University student Caitlin Nelson chokes during Greek Week pancake eating contest, passes away three days later
2017 Denver Travis Maloof chokes while attempting the “Tex Ass” challenge at Voodoo Doughnut
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