The Accidental Origin Of Pop Rocks Candy

If you can't recall the exact first time you tried Pop Rocks candy, it probably went something like this: You ripped open the packet, dumped some of the clumpy pebbles on your tongue, and widened your eyes in surprise. The name is not an exaggeration — the candy actually does pop, sizzle, and explode inside of your mouth. It's a phenomenon that's wowed youngsters for generations, but its creation was actually an accident.

In 1956, a man named William A. Mitchell was working as a chemist at General Foods and attempting to create a formula for an instant soft drink, one that would begin as a powder and turn any glass of water into a carbonated soda. Fun fact: Mitchell was the same chemist who invented Cool Whip and TANG. He ended up mixing carbon dioxide with sugars, which created tiny pockets of gas that would "pop" on a person's tongue after it mixed with saliva. While the powdered soda invention failed miserably, Mitchell was still left with an interesting product. He added a bit of flavoring and began testing the product with fellow employees, which earned his unintentional invention the name "Atomic Candy." By the time General Foods got on board with the idea, changed the name to "Pop Rocks," and released the candy to the public, nearly 20 years had passed.

When Pop Rocks finally made it onto shelves, it was a mega-success, earning General Foods millions of dollars. Williams filed a patent for his creation in 1961 before it took off. General Foods tried launching Space Dust, a similar popping candy, but it was nowhere near as big of a hit (it's one of 12 snacks from the '80s no one remembers anymore). By the end of the '70s, rumors circulated about the dangers of Pop Rocks, one of the most infamous being the story of Little Mikey. Little Mikey was said to have eaten multiple bags of Pop Rocks and drank multiple containers of soda, before literally exploding to death on the spot — but of course, this was false.

Even though it was only a rumor, the urban legend severely damaged Pop Rocks' public image. General Foods did its best to quiet the rumors, taking out advertisements in newspapers to explain that the candy was safe and even working with the FDA for a hotline answering questions, but parents were still terrified. Sales dropped dramatically enough that General Foods pulled Pop Rocks from shelves in the around 1983. The dry spell didn't last long, as the rights to the product were sold in 1985 to Kraft, which revitalized the name. Today you'll find Pop Rocks in the candy aisle, and you might even see it as a garnish on your favorite drink, as it's one of the unique ways experts garnish non-alcoholic drinks.