The Hidden Dangers of Speed Eating
The world of competitive eating was rocked by a double tragedy in the same week, highlighting the fatal risks that can lurk behind what many perceive as harmless fun. Two participants in separate speed eating contests lost their lives after choking on the food they were attempting to consume at record speeds.
A Fatal Doughnut Challenge
In a harrowing incident in Denver, Travis Malouf lost his life in 2017 while attempting the now-infamous challenge at the Voodoo Doughnut chain. The objective was simple yet perilous: consume a 250g glazed doughnut in under 80 seconds. Success would reward him with the pastry for free and a victory button.
An eyewitness, Julia Edelstein, described the scene to reporters. She noted that the doughnut was “the size of a small cake”. Malouf reportedly tore the massive confection in half and began eating with determination. However, the sheer size of the pastry proved deadly when it became lodged in his oesophagus, causing him to die from asphyxia.
Edelstein explained the difficulty in recognising the emergency, stating, “Watching somebody participate in an eating contest, it looks like they’re distressed. The whole thing looks like a sign of distress. Nobody realised what was happening until it was too late.”
Moments after the incident began, Malouf collapsed. Two customers rushed to catch him as he fell and began urgent attempts to help while others called emergency services. Paramedics arrived swiftly, but tragically, Malouf was pronounced dead at the scene. In the wake of the fatality, Voodoo Doughnuts suspended the contest.
A Wider Pattern of Tragedy
Disturbingly, Malouf’s death was not an isolated event that weekend. At Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, 20-year-old Caitlin Nelson, a college student, also died after choking during a pancake-eating contest.
This tragic pair are not the only speed eaters to have met a similar fate. In 2016, a 28-year-old Japanese man choked to death while trying to eat five sushi balls in three minutes. He fell unconscious at the event in Hikone and passed away three days later.
Reflecting on the senseless nature of the Denver incident, Julia Edelstein captured the shock of all involved: “We weren’t running in front of cars or playing with guns. We were just out having fun. No one expected anything like this.” Her words serve as a stark reminder of the unforeseen dangers that can accompany seemingly light-hearted food challenges.
