Portland doughnut chain halts eating challenge after death

DENVER (AP) – A Portland, Oregon-based doughnut chain has suspended its eating challenge after a man choked to death at its Denver store.

Portland, Oregon-based Voodoo Doughnuts made the announcement in a statement to Denver news station KUSA-TV.

It comes after 42-year-old Travis Malouff died early Sunday while trying to eat a half-pound glazed doughnut in 80 seconds. Witness Julia Edelstein on Tuesday described the doughnut as the “size of a small cake.”

Winners get the doughnut for free and a button saying they won the challenge.

Malouff died the same day as a 20-year-old who had participated in a pancake-eating contest at Sacred Heart University in Hartford, Connecticut.

The city of Denver coroner’s office says Malouff of Thornton, Colorado died early of asphyxia due to obstruction of the airway.

Edelstein was standing in line at Voodoo Doughnuts and said Malouff was trying to eat the doughnut around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when he choked.

Edelstein says people tried to help him when they realized he was choking. The coroner’s office said Malouff died at the scene.