Can your stomach explode if you eat Pop Rocks and Coke?
Everyone’s heard about the boy who died after consuming six bags of Pop Rocks and then chugging a six pack of Coke, but there is no boy because this rumor is false.
Pop Rocks made its debut in the mid 70s, developed by General Foods research scientist William A. Mitchell. When dumped into the mouth, the fruit-flavored candy released small amounts of carbon dioxide, creating an exploding feeling.
Tests have been done on the candy over and over, but there was still concern over the safety candy. In reaction to parental concerns in Seattle, the Food and Drug Administration set up a hotline to answer anxious phone calls. Also, kids started to spread the rumor about exploding stomachs, ultimately leading to death, from consuming too much carbon dioxide.
The rumor states mixing Pop Rocks and carbonated drinks would cause the stomach to explode, most famously claiming the life of Life cereal commercial star, Mikey. The actor who played Mikey, John Gilchrist, however, survived his childhood and went on to be an advertising manager at a New York Radio station.
General Foods did major damage control to protect its product. They placed full page ads in 45 major publications, wrote letters to school principals around the country and sent the candy’s inventor on a cross country tour to disprove the rumor.
Pop Rocks generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as half a can of soda, at most giving a person a painful belch. In 1983, however, the company raised white flags and stopped producing the candy. Two years later, Kraft bought the rights to Pop Rocks and renamed it Action Candy. After a switch back to the original name, the candy is back on the shelves.
Since its second debut, only one controversy has ensued. In July 2001, a California girl was rushed to the hospital after eating a Baskin Robbins “Shrek Swirl” treat that contained Pop Rocks. The doctors had to insert a tube into her stomach to remove the air. Other than that, the candy is safe and no other reports of injury or death have been reported.
compiled from poprockscandy.com/history
