You’ll need a strong stomach to watch this hilarious video of someone eating Surströmming – the most disgusting food in the world
We’d never heard of surströmming before we watched this video of American YouTuber James Patrick Ellingsworth, and part of us wishes that we could return to that time of blissful ignorance.
Apparently surströmming is a Swedish delicacy made from fermented herring and it gives off one of the most pungent food smells in the world.
Thanks (we think) to non aesthetic things for sharing on Twitter.
Bon appetit!
Guy eats Surströmming and instantly regrets it… pic.twitter.com/CU6D34BpLk
— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) September 9, 2025
Think we’ll stick with tinned tuna, ta very much. Others felt the same way…
1.
What's insane is people think he's faking but he really isn't lol. It really is THAT bad that it makes you gag, some people even throw up just from the smell.
— (@TheCzechLad) September 9, 2025
2.
The flies started swarming as soon as he opened it.
— Angry Rob (@angryrob8) September 10, 2025
3.
You're supposed to open it in a bucket of water and wash it extremely well pic.twitter.com/gmYLFEYPk1
— Crypto Viking (@CryptoVikingSWE) September 9, 2025
4.
I will never taste it a bit even if someone pays 10M USD to me. pic.twitter.com/E9JCU53J6z
— Aamir Khan Satire (@aamir_khan_fan2) September 9, 2025
5.
The in-between retching had me in literal stitches!
I was hardly able to take a breath!
LMFAOOOO!!!!
— Canuck 1963 (@1963Canuck) September 9, 2025
6.
Surströmming: the only food that makes you instantly understand why Vikings were so angry.
— Chai (@chai_lens) September 9, 2025
7.
Seeing this is already enough to make me quit the attempt pic.twitter.com/Pp7A9QOeRM
— Grawrz.ron (@GrawrzGuide) September 9, 2025
8.
Surströmming is basically fermented regret in a can. Most people don’t even make it past the smell before tapping out, so props to him for even trying.
— dan. (@DanieljrBlack) September 9, 2025
9.
I grew up in a home with parents who ate this every autumn when it was Surströmmingseason.
I’ve tasted it once and it has a salty umami taste to it.
I can’t stand the fucking smell!
Believe it or not… but it was served in school (up north) when I was 7.
— The through the of a Gen X:er (@Ilikedtolurk) September 9, 2025
10.
"German food critic and author Wolfgang Fassbender wrote that "the biggest challenge when eating surströmming is to vomit only after the first bite, as opposed to before""
– Wikipedia— un damnificado (@Zabber42) September 10, 2025
11.
Honestly if eaten and opened correctly – it’s amazing. The taste is mostly salty. Eaten on hard bread with potatoes, chives, red onion, butter and some sour cream.
— Karhart (@Hartelius) September 9, 2025
12.
Nearly threw up 12 times just watching this!
— Name has been stolen again (@Namesbeenstolen) September 9, 2025
13.
You telling me brits don't have the worst cuisine in the world anymore? https://t.co/9PB8X00P02
— ComicBookAnt – IFTKP #3 PRELAUNCH (@StokesTheWriter) September 9, 2025
14.
I watched someone eat this in Sweden and yes it's extremely disgusting https://t.co/vUiwo4X6fz
— Aaron (@exmavs) September 9, 2025
15.
If you open that and flies start swarming you, that’s a bad sign. https://t.co/st3QL3UxNI
— Jason of the Godless (@dingodadd) September 9, 2025
And if that’s whet your appetite, then you can buy a tin of the stuff here.
Source PicturesFolder Image Screengrab