Several elementary school students in Orange were brought to the hospital on Tuesday after they ate a pepper gum product that burned their mouth and esophagus, according to officials.

Some kids that didn’t eat the gum suffered eye irritation because they rubbed their eyes after touching the gum.

A total of six children from Dexter Park School were transported to the hospital by ambulances, while other students were transported to the hospital by their parents. Several other kids were evaluated by paramedics at the school.

A student had purchased the gum online, and offered the gum to classmates during recess.

“The product contained levels of pepper, which, when some students ingested it, caused digestive issues, including burning in the mouth and esophagus,” Orange Superintendent Elizabeth Teahan-Zielinski wrote to the school community.

“Additionally, students who accepted the product but did not ingest it suffered immediate skin reactions, including eye irritation, if they rubbed their eyes after touching it,” the superintendent added.

Officials continue to investigate the incident, and disciplinary action will be taken upon the completion of the investigation, the superintendent said.

“I ask that you speak with your child about bringing in candy or accepting such items in school, which are not permitted as part of our wellness policy,” Teahan-Zielinski wrote. “It is difficult for students to understand that items can often contain ingredients others are allergic to or created to cause physical distress.”