Chicago high school student faces battery charges after cafeteria food was spiked with Da'Bomb hot sauce

The affected spaghetti marinara caused coughing, rashes and shortness of breath

A student in America is in court after a school cafeteria's spaghetti marinara was spiked with hot sauce (Getty Images)

A high school student in America will appear in court for allegedly spiking his school cafeteria's lunchtime offering with hot sauce.

The unwanted addition to the spaghetti marinara is said to have caused coughing, wheezing, rashes and short breath.

Natalie Kaplan, a spokeswoman for Highland Park High School in Chicago, told ABC News: “The impacted staff members were taken to hospital but no serious injuries were reported.”

The defendant, who has not been named faces misdemeanor battery charges for allegedly sneaking Da' Bomb hot sauce into the sauce on May 14.

Highland Park Police Deputy Chief George Pfutzenreuter said: “A student then went through the food line and purchased spaghetti with marinara sauce, and after sitting down and taking his first bite, found it intolerably hot and went back to the food line to advise staff.

"Staff pulled the sauce from the line and, in evaluating the sauce, some of the staff members also started feeling effects."

He said he didn’t know which type of Da' Bomb sauce was used in the prank, but the brand's spiciest offering, "Final Answer", reaches 1,500,000 Scoville units - almost as potent as police pepper spray.

The alleged perpetrator will be charged as a juvenile on five counts of misdemeanor battery.