Humans love to push their limits when it comes to food, participating in challenges that require eating mountains of food in a certain time constraint or testing just how much heat they can handle in a spicy chip. People are always trying to one-up each other with the “hottest in the world” or the “biggest in the world.” These days, Warheads and South Patch Kids just won’t cut it — everyone wants to get their hands on what’s reportedly the most sour candy in the world.
The Black Death Mega Sour candy is just as ominous and foreboding as it sounds, promising sweet pain with a single lick. It’s a lemon-flavored, ball-shaped candy coated with layers of sour sugar and an even more acidic core. The packaging of the candy screams “warning, warning” without even displaying a written message, just a black and white graphic of a crying skull. This is definitely not the kind of sour candy you want as a garnish in your fruity summer drink considering that the sour burn of the Black Death Candy lasts for at least 20 seconds. The sour spheres are available in packs of one, three, five, ten, or a full bag, which is 200 grams — though, it’s unlikely you’ll make it through more than one.
Are the Black Death Mega Sours really that sour?
Black Death Mega Sour candies are made by Mr Simms Sweet Shop, a British-run candy manufacturer that specializes in a wide variety of candies. We ranked it as one of the most sour candies in the world, and others would agree. The candies have gone viral for their potent, acidic flavor. TikToker @underratedhijabi amassed over 10 million likes with their rather visceral reaction to tasting the candy, describing the feeling as “a metal rod at the back of [their] throat.” YouTuber Skippy62able attempted to complete the brand’s “Mega Sour Challenge,” and when he finally reached the Black Death Candy, he could only say, “I feel like I’m going to pass out,” between bouts of puckered faces.
The Black Death Mega Sour is made from multiple kinds of edible acids, which is why your tongue burns after eating sour candy. The two most potent kinds of acids used in sour candies are citric acid and malic acid. Citric acid comes from citruses like lemon and lime, the kind that make your lips twist, while malic acid comes from apples and cherries, the kind that provide a tart, sour taste. Throw those together in copious amounts, along with bicarbonate of soda and sugar, and you’ve got the Black Death candies. You can give these sour candies a try if you’re feeling brave enough, but they come with a literal warning. According to the website, “Excessive consumption within a brief time frame may cause temporary mouth and/or stomach irritation.” So buyers beware!
