How the Wint-o-green Lifesavers spark works!
The phenomenon of crunched Wintogreen Lifesavers sparking in the dark is called triboluminescence. Chewing on the sugar crystals momentarily releases electrons, giving the crystals a positive charge; nitrogen molecules in the air, their outer electrons attracted to the charge, stick to the electron-free zones on the crystals. The electrons from the sugar crystals, returning, crash into the nitrogen molecules, releasing ultraviolet radiation. And methyl salicylate, the wintergreen flavoring used in Life Savers, glows blue when flooded by UV rays. Tastes great, too.