A social media trend involving fresh grapes and Jolly Rancher candies couldn’t be harmful, could it?
Au contraire, says Richmond, Va., physician Dr. Michael Feldman with the Evans-Haynes Burn Center at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health. Feldman says he has treated at least three children for severe burns, related to the viral video.
The video shows how to melt the Jolly Rancher candy in a pan on the stove, then pour the melted sugary mix over grapes. Once the liquid hardens, it supposedly creates a new candy, with a hard outer shell but with a soft grape inside.
It might sound harmless, but things often go wrong. Feldman says it usually happens when the child pours the boiling liquid over the grapes.
“That’s where it spills and can cause some real injury,” Feldman told WRIC-TV. “People need to be very vigilant.”
Three cases in the last six months
In the past six months, Feldman says he has treated three adolescents who were burned while trying to concoct the treat. He says the burns can be serious.
“If the injuries are really deep, they might need surgery, so that has happened with this type of mechanism before,” he said. “And then we try and manage scars later.”
If kids are determined to try to make Jolly Rancher Grapes, they should do it under the supervision of an adult. Feldman says parents should use a container with heat-proof edges for the melted mixture and keep children well clear of the stove.