Are Black Death Sweets Really The World's Most Sour Candy?

We all have varying tolerance limits for the most popular sour candies — some can barely stomach a box of the mildly tart Nerds, while others can suck on Warheads Extremes without so much as a squirm — but could there be a candy that overloads the taste buds of even the most radical sour lovers? Black Death Mega Sours might fit the bill.

Invented by British confectionary company Mr Simms Sweet Shop, Black Death sweets are capturing the interest of candy consumers worldwide. Thanks to the power of social media, the bite-sized black balls have quickly garnered a reputation for their unprecedented sourness. Users on platforms like TikTok and YouTube are sharing recordings of themselves trying the Black Death Mega Sours, and their reactions, often dramatic and violent, make it difficult to deny the sour power of those little candies. Now, consumers everywhere can't help but ponder if they have what it takes to handle the Black Death.

Black Death blew up in notoriety after TikTok user @underratedhijabi shared their reaction after tasting it. A few moments after popping a piece in their mouth, they wince in pain and screech, and they go on to describe the sensation as "a metal rod at the back of [their] throat."

@underratedhijabi

Black Death 💀

♬ original sound – Underrated Hijabi

The webpage for Mr Simm's Sweet Shop Black Death candy alleges that the "mega sours have an extremely sour coating which lasts approximately 20 seconds!!" The sour candy is so strong that it comes with a warning label that reads "CAUTION: Excessive consumption within a brief time frame may cause temporary mouth and/or stomach irritation. Not suitable for children under 8 years of age."

Whether buyers are looking to challenge their sour tolerance or want to put the bold 20-second claim to the test, the demand for these little black candies is undeniable. Only a few months after their public introduction, consumers picked the supply clean; as of December 2023, they are out of stock on the Mr Simms website. 

So how, exactly, are Black Death Mega Sours so mega sour? A food's level of acidity determines how sour it tastes. Using the same methods that make all sour candy sour, Black Death is flavored with a mix of acidic ingredients, including citric acid and malic acid. Both acids create sour tastes, but citric acid provides more of a punching, immediate tartness, and malic acid provides a smoother, lingering tartness. Mixing the slightly different acids together creates a lasting depth to the Mega Sours. What puts the candy's sourness over the top, aside from the concoction of acids, is likely the high ratio of these acids to the other ingredients.

The sourness of Black Death Mega Sours has sparked countless conversations online, corroborating the theatrical tasting videos on TikTok. Reddit users confirm the candy's unprecedented potency with statements like "...just about turned my mouth inside out. I love sour stuff, these were the most intense I've ever experienced."

If you find a way to get your hands on a bag of Black Death Mega Sours, pucker up and be prepared.