Pop Rocks Candy

That Famous Pop, Pop Pop!

There is a lot more science to this famous candy than you may realize. Invented by a research chemist, the formula was first tested as a way to make instant soda, but like many important scientific discoveries, it led to something other than what it was intended and went down in history as a yummy discovery.

What Makes Pop Rocks Pop?

Carbon dioxide! It's the same thing that makes soda fizzy ¿ which explains why the formula was originally intended as an instant soda recipe.

When the carbon dioxide meets moisture it's released in a pop!

Can Pop Rocks Hurt You?

Nope. Even though there are plenty of rumors and urban legends about mixing Pop Rocks with soda to cause a fatal explosion in your stomach, these rumors are false. No matter what Pop Rocks are mixed with (unless, of course, you mix it with something poisonous but why would you, really?) they can't harm you.

The happy popping you experience while eating Pop Rocks is merely the result of the carbon dioxide being released thanks to the moisture in your mouth ¿ and it's not going to hurt you.

Pop Rocks on the Defensive

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, rumors were rampant that Pop Rocks were harmful. In an interesting story of the public believing rumors over facts, many people banned Pop Rocks despite the best efforts of General Mills to get the word out that the candy was completely safe.

1. The FDA opened a telephone hotline designed to assure people of the safety of Pop Rocks.
2. General Mills composed letters to school principals to explain the safety of Pop Rocks.
3. Full-page ads ran in a wide variety of publications explaining to readers that Pop Rocks weren't dangerous.
4. General Mills sent the Pop Rocks inventor on tour to spread the word that Pop Rocks were safe.

Even after all these efforts, General Mills wound up discontinuing Pop Rocks in the mid-1980s. Luckily, they reappeared a few years later ¿ first under a different name and then once again reclaimed their original name and are still known today as Pop Rocks

The Best Party Candy

Some say Pop Rocks are the best party candy, largely because of their fun pop, yummy taste and, of course, the interesting folklore and history attached to this candy. Kids of all ages (and even many adults!) eagerly eat Pop Rocks, making them great as Halloween candy, Valentine's Day handouts and as treats anytime.

Pop Rocks are among the most fun candy available!