View source for Candy

{{short description|Sweet confection}}
{{About|the type of confection generally|other uses|Candy (disambiguation)|and|Candies (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Sweets|other uses|Sweets (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect|Lollies|the type of hard candy on a stick|Lollipop}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox food
|name = Candy
|image = Candy in Damascus.jpg
|image_size = 250px
|caption = Candy at a [[bazaar]] in [[Damascus]], [[Syria]]
|alternate_name = Sweets, lollies
|course =
|type = [[Sugar confectionery]]
|served =
|main_ingredient = [[Sugar]] or [[honey]]
}}
'''Candy''', alternatively called '''sweets''' or '''lollies''',{{efn|"Candy" is used chiefly in Canada and the US, "sweets" in the UK and Ireland, and "lollies" in Australia and New Zealand.<ref name="Chandrasekaran2015">{{cite book|author=Muthusamy Chandrasekaran|title=Enzymes in Food and Beverage Processing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ne9CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA206|date=23 October 2015|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4822-2130-5|page=206|access-date=2 March 2019|archive-date=8 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308165159/https://books.google.com/books?id=3ne9CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA206|url-status=live}}</ref>}} is a [[Confectionery|confection]] that features [[sugar]] as a principal ingredient. The category, also called ''[[sugar confectionery]]'', encompasses any sweet confection, including [[chocolate]], [[chewing gum]], and [[sugar candy]]. [[Vegetable]]s, [[fruit]], or [[Nut (fruit)|nuts]] which have been [[glaze (cooking technique)|glaze]]d and coated with sugar are said to be ''[[Candied fruit|candied]]''.

Physically, candy is characterized by the use of a significant amount of sugar or [[sugar substitutes]]. Unlike a cake or loaf of bread that would be shared among many people, candies are usually made in smaller pieces. However, the definition of candy also depends upon how people treat the food. Unlike sweet pastries served for a [[dessert]] course at the end of a meal, candies are normally eaten casually, often with the fingers, as a snack between meals. Each culture has its own ideas of what constitutes candy rather than dessert. The same food may be a candy in one culture and a dessert in another.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Richardson |first=Tim H. |title=Sweets: A History of Candy |publisher=Bloomsbury USA |year=2002 |isbn=1-58234-229-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sweets00timr/page/53 53–54] |url=https://archive.org/details/sweets00timr/page/53 }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Japanese confectionery store in "The Great Buddha Sweet Shop" from Akizato Rito's Miyako meisho zue (1787).jpg|thumb|A Japanese vendor selling [[List of Japanese desserts and sweets|sweets]] in "The Great Buddha Sweet Shop" from the ''Miyako meisho zue'' (1787)]]

The word candy entered the English language from the Old French ''çucre candi'' ("sugar candy"). The French term probably has earlier roots in the Arabic ''qandi'', Persian ''qand'' and Sanskrit ''khanda'', all words for sugar.<ref>{{cite dictionary |title=Candy |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/candy |dictionary=[[Online Etymological Dictionary]] |access-date=2025-02-01 |archive-date=2022-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222090228/https://www.etymonline.com/word/candy |url-status=live }}</ref>

Sugarcane is [[indigenous (ecology)|indigenous]] to tropical [[South Asia|South]] and [[Southeast Asia]]. Pieces of sugar were produced by boiling sugarcane juice in [[ancient India]] and consumed as ''khanda''.<ref>George Watt (1893), The Economic Products of India, W.H. Allen & Co., Vol 6, Part II, pages 29–30</ref><ref>J.A. Hill (1902), The Anglo-American Encyclopedia, Volume 7, page 725</ref><ref>Thomas E. Furia (1973), CRC Handbook of Food Additives, Second Edition, Volume 1, {{ISBN|978-0849305429}}, page 7 (Chapter 1, by Thomas D. Luckey)</ref><ref>Mary Ellen Snodgrass (2004), Encyclopedia of Kitchen History, {{ISBN|978-1579583804}}, Routledge, pages 145–146</ref><ref>{{cite dictionary |dictionary=[[The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language]] |title=candy |url=https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=candy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920234621/https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=candy |archive-date=2018-09-20 |access-date=2025-02-01}}</ref> Between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, the [[Persian people|Persians]], followed by the [[Greeks]], discovered the people in [[India]] and their "reeds that produce [[honey]] without [[bee]]s". They adopted and then spread sugar and [[Sugarcane|sugarcane agriculture]].<ref name=agrisugar1>{{cite web|title=Agribusiness Handbook: Sugar beet white sugar|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations|year=2009|url=http://www.eastagri.org/publications/pub_docs/4_Sugar_web.pdf|access-date=2014-06-12|archive-date=2015-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905234431/http://www.eastagri.org/publications/pub_docs/4_Sugar_web.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Before sugar was readily available, candy was based on [[honey]].<ref>{{cite book |title = Confectionery Products Handbook (Chocolate, Toffees, Chewing Gum & Sugar Free Confectionery)|publisher=Asia Pacific Business Press |date=2013|isbn=9788178331539 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a989AQAAQBAJ |location=India |author=NPCS |page=1}}</ref> Honey was used in [[Ancient Chinese states|Ancient China]], the [[Middle East]], [[Egypt]], [[Greece]] and the [[Roman Empire]] to coat fruits and [[flowers]] to preserve them or to create forms of candy.<ref name="History of Food">{{cite book|last=Toussaint-Samat|first=Maguelonne|title=A History of Food|year=2009|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell|location=New Jersey|isbn = 9781444305142}}</ref> Candy is still served in this form today, though now it is more typically seen as a type of [[garnish (food)|garnish]].

Before the [[Industrial Revolution]], candy was often considered a form of [[medicine]], either used to calm the [[Human digestive system|digestive system]] or cool a [[sore throat]]. In the [[Middle Ages]] candy appeared on the tables of only the most wealthy at first. At that time, it began as a combination of [[spice]]s and sugar used as an aid to [[digestion]]. Banquet hosts typically served these types of 'candies' at [[Confectionery in the English Renaissance|banquets]] for their guests. One of these candies, sometimes called ''chamber spice'', was made with [[cloves]], ginger, [[aniseed]], [[juniper berries]], almonds and [[pine kernels]] dipped in melted sugar.<ref name="History of Food" />

The [[Middle English]] word ''candy'' began to be used in the late 13th century.<ref name="OED-candy">{{OEtymD|candy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sugarcane: Saccharum Officinarum |publisher=USAID, Govt of United States |year=2006 |page=1 (Chapter 7) |url=http://www1.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/environment/docs/ag&environ/Sugarcane.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106015828/http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/environment/docs/ag%26environ/Sugarcane.pdf |archive-date=November 6, 2013 }}</ref>

The first candy came to [[United States|America]] during the early 18th century from [[Great Britain|Britain]] and [[France]]. Only a few of the early colonists were proficient in sugar work and sugary treats were generally only enjoyed by the very wealthy. Even the simplest form of candy – [[rock candy]], made from [[Crystallization|crystallized]] sugar – was considered a luxury.<ref name="Encyclopedia">{{cite web|last=Woloson |first=Wendy |title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America |url=http://www.oxford-americanfoodanddrink.com/entry?entry=t170.e0127 |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=18 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006100921/http://www.oxford-americanfoodanddrink.com/entry?entry=t170.e0127 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 }}</ref>

===Industrial Revolution===

The candy business underwent a drastic change in the 1830s when technological advances and the availability of sugar opened up the market. The new market was not only for the enjoyment of the rich but also for the pleasure of the working class. There was also an increasing market for children. While some fine confectioners remained, the [[candy store]] became a favorite of the child of the [[Working class in the United States|American working class]]. Penny candies epitomized this transformation of candy. [[Penny candy]] became the first material good that children spent their own money on. For this reason, candy store-owners relied almost entirely on the business of children to keep them running. Even penny candies were directly descended from [[Throat lozenge|medicated lozenges]] that held bitter medicine in a hard sugar coating.<ref name="Refined Tastes">{{cite book|last=Woloson|first=Wendy|title=Refined Tastes|year=2002|publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press|location=Baltimore}}</ref>

In 1847, the invention of the [[candy press]] (also known under the surprising name of a ''toy machine'') made it possible to produce multiple shapes and sizes of candy at once. In 1851, confectioners began to use a revolving steam pan to assist in boiling sugar. This transformation meant that the candy maker was no longer required to continuously stir the boiling sugar. The heat from the surface of the pan was also much more evenly distributed and made it less likely the sugar would burn. These innovations made it possible for only one or two people to successfully run a candy business.<ref name=Encyclopedia />

[[File:Our Mutual Friend by Joseph Keppler 1885 Puck 2017011.tif|thumb |right|''Our Mutual Friend'', January 7, 1885, satirical cartoon by [[Joseph Keppler]], warning of the dangers of color additives used in candy.]]
As the path from producer to market became increasingly complicated, many foods were affected by [[adulteration]] and the addition of [[Food additive|additives]] which ranged from relatively harmless ingredients, such as cheap [[Corn starch|cornstarch]] and [[corn syrup]], to poisonous ones. Some manufacturers produced bright colors in candy by the addition of hazardous substances for which there was no legal regulation: green ([[chromium(III) oxide]] and [[copper acetate]]), red ([[lead(II,IV) oxide]] and [[mercury sulfide]]), yellow ([[lead chromate]]) and white ([[chalk]], [[arsenic trioxide]]).<ref name="Distillations"/>

In an 1885 cover cartoon for ''[[Puck (magazine)|Puck]]'', [[Joseph Keppler]] satirized the dangers of additives in candy by depicting the "mutual friendship" between striped candy, doctors, and [[Sexton (office)|gravediggers]]. By 1906, research into the dangers of additives, exposés of the food industry, and public pressure led to the passage of the [[Pure Food and Drug Act]], the first federal United States law to regulate food and drugs, including candy.<ref name="Distillations">{{cite journal|last1=Hansen|first1=Bert|date=2017|title=Our Mutual Friend|url=https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/our-mutual-friend|journal=Distillations|volume=3|issue=2|pages=10–11|access-date=April 17, 2018|archive-date=June 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602060326/https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/our-mutual-friend|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Classification==
[[Sugar candies]] include hard candies, soft candies, [[caramel]]s, [[marshmallow]]s, [[Taffy (candy)|taffy]], and other candies whose principal ingredient is sugar. Commercially, sugar candies are often divided into groups according to the amount of sugar they contain and their [[chemical structure]].<ref name="Nutrition2007">{{cite book|author=McWilliams, Margaret|title=Nutrition and Dietetics' 2007 Edition|publisher=Rex Bookstore, Inc.|year=2007|pages=177–184|isbn=978-971-23-4738-2}}</ref>

Hard-boiled candies made by the vacuum cooking process include [[stick candy]], [[lemon drops]] and [[Horehound drops#Horehound candy|horehound drops]]. Open-fire candy, like molasses [[Taffy (candy)|taffy]] and cream taffy, is cooked in open kettles and then pulled. Pan work candies include nuts and other candies like [[jelly beans]] and sugar-coated almonds, made by coating with sugar in revolving copper kettles. Gum work candy is cooked in large kettles fashioned for melting and molded, dried and sugared like [[gum drops]]. They are soaked for a time in [[sugar syrup]] to allow [[crystal]]s to form.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ward |first=Artemas |title=The Encyclopedia of food |year=1923 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PiMUAQAAMAAJ |page=64 |publisher=P. Smith |isbn=9780844614649 |access-date=2020-08-03 |archive-date=2023-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308165147/https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Encyclopedia_of_Food/PiMUAQAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Sugar candies can be classified into noncrystalline and crystalline types.  This is based on microscopic crystal structure, and not on the visible appearance of the candy, so a piece of candy that looks like a crystal may well be a noncrystalline type. Noncrystalline candies are homogeneous and may be chewy or hard; they include hard candies, caramels, toffees, and nougats. Crystalline candies incorporate small crystals in their structure, meaning they have a creamy texture that melts in the mouth or are easily chewed; these include fondant and fudge.<ref name="potter1999">Norman Potter and Joseph Hotchkiss (1999), Food Science: Fifth Edition, {{ISBN|978-0834212657}}, Springer, Chapter 20</ref> In 2022, [[flavorless candy]] was developed that was hard but not sweet.<ref name="Ueno Ives 2023 f933">{{cite web |last1=Ueno |first1=Hisako |last2=Ives |first2=Mike |date=2023-08-11 |title=A Japanese Candy Tasted Like Nothing. Why Do People Miss It? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/11/world/asia/japan-flavorless-candy-lawsons.html |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

<gallery caption="Comparison of sugar candies">
File:Kompeito konpeito.JPG|alt=Small, knobby pieces of candy, in different colors|''[[Konpeitō]]'' is a traditional Japanese sugar candy. When finished, it is almost 100% solid sugar.
File:HardCandy.jpg|Fruit-shaped [[hard candy]] is a common type of sugar candy, containing sugar, color, flavor, and a tiny bit of water.
File:Chikki assortment.jpg|alt=Ten flat squares of chikki. The different colors and textures are due to each square being made from a different type of nut or seed.|''[[Chikki]]'' are homemade [[nut brittle]]s popular in India. Between the nuts or seeds is hard sugar candy.
File:Gummy bears.jpg|alt=A pile of red, yellow, and green gummy bears|German [[Haribo]] [[gummy bear]]s were the first [[gummy candy]] ever made. They are soft and chewy.
File:2018 05 Fudge IMG 1913.JPG|[[Fudge]] is a type of sugar candy that is made by mixing and heating sugar, butter and milk.
File:Pantteri Mix.jpg|alt=A pile of disk-shaped, sugar-coated, rubbery candies in red, green, orange, and mostly black|''[[Pantteri]]'' is a soft, chewy Finnish sugar candy. The colored ones are fruity, while black are [[Salty licorice|salmiakki]] (salty licorice-flavored).
</gallery>
[[Chocolate]] is sometimes treated as a separate branch of confectionery.<ref>{{cite book|last=Edwards|first=W.P.|title=The Science of Sugar Confectionery|date=2000|publisher=Royal Society of Chemistry|location=Cambridge|isbn=9780854045938|page=1}}</ref> In this model, chocolate candies like [[Chocolate bar|chocolate candy bars]] and [[chocolate truffles]] are included. [[Hot chocolate]] or other cocoa-based drinks are excluded, as is candy made from [[white chocolate]].{{Update needed|date=May 2025|reason=White chocolate has undergone classificatory changes in the past 25 years}} When chocolate is treated as a separate branch, it also includes confections whose classification is otherwise difficult, being neither exactly candies nor exactly baked goods, like chocolate-dipped foods, tarts with chocolate shells, and chocolate-coated cookies.

<gallery caption="Comparison of chocolate types">
File:Chocolat Bonnat. 100%.jpg|Unsweetened [[baking chocolate]] contains no sugar.
File:Bar of Guittard chocolate.jpg|Bittersweet or [[dark chocolate]] contains some sugar.
File:Milk_chocolate.jpg|[[Milk chocolate]] contains milk and lower levels of [[cocoa solids]].
File:WeisseLuftschokolade.jpg|Because [[white chocolate]] contains no cocoa solids, it is classified as [[sugar confectionery]] instead of chocolate.{{Update needed|date=May 2025|reason=White chocolate has undergone classificatory changes in the past 25 years}}
File: Couverture chocolate and compund chocolate.jpg|[[Compound chocolate]] is used in place of pure chocolate to reduce costs.
File:300x300 choc rose cake.jpg|Flowers made from [[modeling chocolate]].
</gallery>

==Production==
{{Main|Confectionary}}

[[File: Batasha sweets.jpg|thumb|''Batasha'' is one of the many traditional candies found in South Asia. Flavored varieties include nuts and mint|alt=White disk-shaped candies]]

[[Sugar candy]] is made by dissolving sugar in water or milk to form a [[syrup]], which is boiled until it reaches the desired concentration or starts to [[Caramelization|caramelize]]. Candy comes in a wide variety of textures, from soft and chewy to hard and brittle. The texture of candy depends on the ingredients and the temperatures that the candy is processed at.

{{anchor|Sugar stages}}The final texture of sugar candy depends primarily on the concentration of sugar. As the syrup is heated, it boils, water evaporates, the sugar concentration increases and the [[boiling point]] rises. A given temperature corresponds to a particular sugar concentration. These are called [[sugar stage]]s. In general, higher temperatures and greater sugar concentrations result in hard, brittle candies, and lower temperatures result in softer candies.<ref>[http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/sugar-stages.html The Cold Water Candy Test] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106142332/http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/sugar-stages.html |date=2006-01-06 }}, Exploratorium; [http://www.baking911.com/candy/chart.htm Sugar Syrup Chart] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070128103614/http://www.baking911.com/candy/chart.htm |date=2007-01-28 }} at Baking911</ref> Once the syrup reaches {{convert|171|°C}} or higher, the sucrose molecules break down into many simpler sugars, creating an [[amber]]-colored substance known as [[caramel]]. This should not be confused with [[caramel candy]], although it is the candy's main flavoring.

[[File:A candy stand displaying a large variety of liquorice in Jyväskylä, Finland.jpg|thumb|''[[Liquorice (confectionery)|Licorice]]'' is a candy flavored with the extract of the roots of the [[Glycyrrhiza glabra|licorice plant]]. It is popular in [[Finland]].|alt=A booth selling candy|left]]

Most candies are made commercially. The industry relies significantly on [[trade secret]] protection, because candy recipes cannot be copyrighted or patented effectively, but are very difficult to duplicate exactly. Seemingly minor differences in the machinery, temperature, or timing of the candy-making process can cause noticeable differences in the final product.<ref>{{cite book |last=Richardson |first=Tim H. |title=Sweets: A History of Candy |publisher=Bloomsbury USA |year=2002 |isbn=1-58234-229-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sweets00timr/page/12 12–13] |url=https://archive.org/details/sweets00timr/page/12 }}</ref>

==Packaging==
[[File:Butterscotch-Candies.jpg|thumb|right|Individually wrapped [[butterscotch]] candies.]]
[[File:White-Box-of-Chocolates.jpg|thumb|right|A box of chocolates, usually given as a gift.]]''Candy wrapper'' or ''sweets wrapper'' is a common term for this packaging.<ref>[http://www.wholesalecandystore.com/old-candy-wrappers.html Old Candy Wrappers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517062026/http://www.wholesalecandystore.com/old-candy-wrappers.html |date=2011-05-17 }}. Wholesale Candy Store. Retrieved on November 2, 2011.</ref>

===Purposes of packaging===
Packaging preserves aroma and flavor and eases shipping and dispensation. [[Wax paper]] seals against air, moisture, dust, and germs, while [[cellophane]] is valued by packagers for its transparency and resistance to grease, odors and moisture. In addition, it is often resealable. [[Polyethylene]] is another form of film sealed with heat, and this material is often used to make bags in bulk packaging. Plastic wraps are also common. Aluminum foils wrap chocolate bars and prevent a transfer of water vapor while being lightweight, non-toxic and odor proof. Vegetable parchment lines boxes of high-quality confections like gourmet chocolates. [[Cardboard (paper product)|Cardboard]] cartons are less common, though they offer many options concerning thickness and movement of water and oil.

Packages are often sealed with a starch-based adhesive derived from tapioca, potato, wheat, sago, or sweet potato. Occasionally, glues are made from the bones and skin of cattle and hogs for a stronger and more flexible product, but this is not as common because of the expense.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Trends in Food Packaging Technology|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|date=October 1953|volume=1|issue=16|pages=978–986|doi=10.1021/jf60016a002|bibcode=1953JAFC....1..978. }}</ref>

===History===
Prior to the 1900s, candy was commonly sold unwrapped from carts in the street, where it was exposed to dirt and insects. By 1914, there were some machines to wrap [[Chewing gum|gum]] and stick candies, but this was not the common practice. After the [[polio]] outbreak in 1916, unwrapped candies garnered widespread censure because of the dirt and germs. At the time, only upscale candy stores used [[glass]] jars. With advancements in technology, wax paper was adopted, and foil and cellophane were imported to the U.S. from [[France]] by [[DuPont]] in 1925. [[Necco]] packagers were one of the first companies to package without human touch.<ref name="Kawash 2012">{{cite journal|last=Kawash|first=Samira|title=The Candy Prophylactic: Danger, Disease, and Children's Candy around 1916|journal=The Journal of American Culture|date=September 2012|volume=33|issue=3}}</ref> Kiosks and vending machines were introduced around the beginning of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Otter |first1=Chris |title=Diet for a large planet |date=2020 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=US |isbn=978-0-226-69710-9 |page=90 }}</ref>

Candy packaging played a role in its adoption as the most popular treat given away during [[trick-or-treating]] for [[Halloween]] in the US. In the 1940s, most treats were homemade. During the 1950s, small, individually wrapped candies were recognized as convenient and inexpensive. By the 1970s, after widely publicized but largely false stories of [[poisoned candy myths]] circulating in the popular press, factory-sealed packaging with a recognizable name brand on it became a sign of safety.<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Kawash|first1 = Samira|title = Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|date = 2013|publisher = Faber & Faber, Incorporated|location = New York|isbn = 9780865477568|pages = 271–276}}</ref>

===Marketing and design===
Packaging helps market the product as well. Manufacturers know that candy must be hygienic and attractive to customers. In the children's market quantity, novelty, large size and bright colors are the top sellers.<ref name="Kawash 2012"/> Many companies redesign the packaging to maintain consumer appeal.

==Shelf life==
Because of its high sugar concentration, bacteria are not usually able to grow in candy. As a result, the [[shelf life]] is longer for candy than for many other foods. Most candies can be safely stored in their original packaging at [[room temperature]] in a dry, dark cupboard for months or years. As a rule, the softer the candy or the damper the storage area, the sooner it goes stale.<ref name=Candycrate />

Shelf life considerations with most candies are focused on appearance, taste, and texture, rather than about the potential for [[Foodborne illness|food poisoning]]; that is, old candy may not look appealing or taste very good, even though it is very unlikely to make the eater sick. Candy can be made [[food safety|unsafe]] by storing it badly, such as in a wet, [[Mold (fungus)|mold]]y area. Typical recommendations are these:<ref name=Candycrate>[http://www.candycrate.com/shelf-life-of-candy.html The Shelf Life of Candy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911171620/http://www.candycrate.com/shelf-life-of-candy.html |date=2011-09-11 }} from The Candy Crate</ref>
* [[Hard candy]] may last indefinitely in good storage conditions.
*[[Dark chocolate]] lasts up to two years.
*[[Milk chocolate]]s and caramels usually become stale after about one year.
* Soft or creamy candies, like [[candy corn]], may last 8 to 10 months in ideal conditions.
* [[Chewing gum]] and gumballs may stay fresh as long as 8 months after manufacture.

==Nutrition==
[[File:Caramels.jpg|thumb|right|Caramels, candy made from butter, milk and sugar, have little nutritional value.]]
Most sugar candies are defined in US law as a food of [[minimal nutritional value]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/foods-minimal-nutritional-value|title=Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value|date=13 September 2013|website=www.fns.usda.gov|series=Appendix B of 7 CFR Part 210|publisher=[[Food and Nutrition Service]], United States Department of Agriculture|language=en|access-date=2017-08-04|archive-date=2015-05-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528145328/https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/foods-minimal-nutritional-value|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Even in a culture that eats sweets frequently, candy is not a significant source of nutrition or food energy for most people. The average American eats about 1.1&nbsp;kg (2.5 pounds) of sugar or similar sweeteners each week, but almost 95% of that sugar—all but about 70 grams (2.5 ounces)—comes from non-candy sources, especially [[soft drinks]] and processed foods.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kawash|first1=Samira|title=Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|date=2013|publisher=Faber & Faber, Incorporated|location=New York|isbn=9780865477568|page=11}}</ref>

===Meal replacements===
Candy is considered a source of [[empty calories]], because it provides little or no nutritional value beyond food energy. At the start of the 20th century, when [[undernutrition]] was a serious problem, especially among poor and working-class people, and when nutrition science was a new field, the high calorie content was promoted as a virtue. Researchers suggested that candy, especially candy made with milk and nuts, was a low-cost alternative to normal meals. To get the food energy necessary for a day of labor, candy might cost half as much as eggs.<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Kawash|first1 = Samira|title = Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|date = 2013|publisher = Faber & Faber, Incorporated|location = New York|isbn = 9780865477568|page = 98}}</ref> During the 1920s and 1930s, candy bars selling for five cents were often marketed as replacements for lunch.<ref name=":2">{{cite book|last1 = Kawash|first1 = Samira|title = Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|date = 2013|publisher = Faber & Faber, Incorporated|location = New York|isbn = 9780865477568|pages = 310–318}}</ref>

At the 1904 World Fair, the Quaker Oats Company made a candy-coated puffed cereal, a wheat-based product similar to [[Cracker Jack]]'s candy-coated popcorn. The product concept was re-introduced unsuccessfully in 1939 by another business as [[Ranger Joe]], the first pre-sweetened, candy-coated [[breakfast cereal]]. [[Post Foods]] introduced their own version in 1948, originally called [[Happy Jax]] and later [[Sugar Crisp]]. They marketed it as both a replacement for unsweetened breakfast cereals and also for eating as a snack or as candy, using three animated cartoon bears as the mascots: Candy, Handy, and Dandy. The early slogans said, "As a cereal it's dandy—for snacks it's so handy—or eat it like candy!"<ref>{{Cite book|title = Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=g_5DAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA287|publisher = Macmillan|date = 2013-10-15|isbn = 9780865477568|first = Samira|last = Kawash|pages = 287–289 and color plate #15}}</ref>

In more recent times, a variety of [[snack bar (food)|snack bars]] have been marketed. These include bars that are intended as [[meal replacement]]s as well as snack bars that are marketed as having nutritional advantages when compared to candy bars, such as [[granola bars]]. However, the actual nutritional value is often not very different from candy bars, except for usually a higher sodium content, and the flavors (most popularly, chocolate, fudge, and caramel) and the presentation mimic candy bars.<ref name=":2" />

[[File:Sesame Seed Ball (Candy).jpg|thumb|Sesame seed balls]]

Among the [[Bengali people]], candy may be eaten for an entire meal, especially during festivals. Candy may also be offered to vegetarian guests in lieu of fish or meat dishes in India.<ref>{{cite book|last = Richardson|first = Tim H.|title = Sweets: A History of Candy|publisher = Bloomsbury USA|year = 2002|isbn = 1-58234-229-6|pages = [https://archive.org/details/sweets00timr/page/335 335–336]|url = https://archive.org/details/sweets00timr/page/335}}</ref>

===Vegetarianism===
Most candy contains no meat or other animal parts, and many contain no milk or other animal products. Some candy, including [[marshmallow]]s and [[Gummy bear|gummy bears]], contains [[gelatin]] derived from animal collagen, a protein found in skin and bones, and is thus avoided by [[veganism|vegans]] and some [[Vegetarianism|vegetarians]]. "[[Kosher]] [[Gelatin#Religious considerations|gelatin]]" is also unsuitable for vegetarians and vegans, as it is derived from fish bones.<ref>[http://www.kashrut.com/articles/DryBones/ Will These Bones Live? Yechezkel 37:3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928004431/http://www.kashrut.com/articles/DryBones/ |date=2007-09-28 }}. Kashrut.com. Retrieved on November 2, 2011.</ref> Other substances, such as [[agar]], [[pectin]], [[starch]] and [[gum arabic]] may also be used as setting and gelling agents, and can be used in place of gelatin.

Other ingredients commonly found in candy that are not suitable for vegetarian or vegan diets include [[carmine]], a red dye made from [[cochineal]] beetles, and [[confectioner's glaze]], which contains [[shellac]], a resin excreted by female [[Kerria lacca|lac bugs]].

==Health effects==

===Cavities===
Candy generally contains sugar, which is a key environmental factor in the formation of [[dental caries]] (cavities).<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|title = Maintaining and improving the oral health of young children|journal = Pediatrics|date = December 2014|issn = 1098-4275|pmid = 25422016|pages = 1224–1229|volume = 134|issue = 6|doi = 10.1542/peds.2014-2984|doi-access = free| last1=Segura | first1=Adriana | last2=Boulter | first2=Suzanne | last3=Clark | first3=Melinda | last4=Gereige | first4=Rani | last5=Krol | first5=David M. | last6=Mouradian | first6=Wendy | last7=Quinonez | first7=Rocio | last8=Ramos-Gomez | first8=Francisco | last9=Slayton | first9=Rebecca | last10=Keels | first10=Martha Ann }}</ref> Several types of [[bacteria]] commonly found in the mouth consume sugar, particularly ''[[Streptococcus mutans]]''. When these bacteria metabolize the sugar found in most candies, juice, or other sugary foods, they produce [[acid]]s in the mouth that demineralize the [[tooth enamel]] and can lead to dental caries. Heavy or frequent consumption of high-sugar foods, especially lollipops, sugary [[cough drops]], and other sugar-based candies that stay in the mouth for a long time, increases the risk of tooth decay.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url = https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367563/DBOHv32014OCTMainDocument_3.pdf|title = Delivering better oral health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention|date = June 2014|publisher = Public Health England|access-date = 2015-03-31|archive-date = 2017-01-21|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170121000120/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367563/DBOHv32014OCTMainDocument_3.pdf|url-status = dead}}</ref> Candies that also contain enamel-dissolving acids, such as [[Sour sanding|acid drops]], increase the risk.<ref name=":4" /> Cleaning the teeth and mouth shortly after eating any type of sugary food, and allowing several hours to pass between eating such foods, reduces the risk and improves [[oral health]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />

The link between candy and caries was formally identified through the [[Vipeholm experiments]], where intellectually disabled people were fed copious amounts of candy and were found to develop poor dental health.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gustafsson |first1=B. E. |last2=Quensel |first2=C. E. |last3=Lanke |first3=L. S. |last4=Lundqvist |first4=C. |last5=Grahnen |first5=H. |last6=Bonow |first6=B. E. |last7=Krasse |first7=B. |date=September 1954 |title=The Vipeholm dental caries study; the effect of different levels of carbohydrate intake on caries activity in 436 individuals observed for five years |journal=Acta Odontologica Scandinavica |volume=11 |issue=3–4 |pages=232–264 |doi=10.3109/00016355308993925 |issn=0001-6357 |pmid=13196991|doi-access=free }}</ref> The experiments are today considered to have violated multiple principles of [[medical ethics]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Krasse |first=Bo |date=September 2009 |title=The Vipeholm Dental Caries Study: Recollections and Reflections 50 Years Later |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00220345010800090201 |journal=Journal of Dental Research |volume=80 |issue=9 |pages=1785–1788 |doi=10.1177/00220345010800090201 |pmid=11926233 |s2cid=6314797 |issn=0022-0345|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

===Glycemic index===
Most candy, particularly low-fat and fat-free candy, has a high [[glycemic index]] (GI), which means that it causes a rapid rise in [[blood sugar]] levels after ingestion. This is chiefly a concern for people with [[diabetes]], but could also be dangerous to the health of non-diabetics.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Balkau | display-authors = etal | date = Mar 1998 | title = High blood glucose concentration is a risk factor for mortality in middle-aged nondiabetic men. 20-year follow-up in the Whitehall Study, the Paris Prospective Study, and the Helsinki Policemen Study | journal = Diabetes Care | volume = 21 | issue = 3| pages = 360–7 | doi=10.2337/diacare.21.3.360 | pmid=9540016| s2cid = 37025679 }}</ref>

===Contamination===
Some kinds of candy have been contaminated with an excessive amount of [[lead]] in it.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Medlin|first=Jennifer|date=2017-01-02|title=Lead: Sweet Candy, Bitter Poison|journal=Environmental Health Perspectives|volume=112|issue=14|pages=A803|issn=0091-6765|pmc=1247598|pmid=15515224|doi=10.1289/ehp.112-a803a}}</ref> Claims of contamination have been made since shortly after industrial-scale candy factories began producing candy in the mid-19th century, although these early claims were rarely true.<ref name="Kawash8">{{cite book|last1=Kawash|first1=Samira|title=Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|date=2013|publisher=Faber & Faber, Incorporated|location=New York|isbn=9780865477568|pages=8–25}}</ref>

Contamination by infectious agents such as virus or bacteria is unlikely through sweets, including unwrapped sweets. This is in part because bacteria can not replicate in the very dry and sweet environment of candy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kan sjukdomar spridas genom lösgodis? - Fråga oss - Livsmedelsverket |url=https://fragor.livsmedelsverket.se/org/livsmedelsverket/d/kan-sjukdomar-spridas-genom-losgodis/ |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=fragor.livsmedelsverket.se}}</ref>

===Choking deaths===
[[File:Kinder Surprise Egg.jpg|alt=Thin egg-shaped chocolate shell, broken open to reveal a large plastic capsule that contains a cheap plastic toy|thumb|Candies with plastic toys inside can create a choking hazard]]
Hard, round candies are a leading cause of [[choking]] deaths in children.<ref name=Roach>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/health/mary-roach-on-studying-food-and-how-humans-eat-it.html?pagewanted=all|title=The Marvels in Your Mouth|last=Roach|first=Mary|date=26 March 2013|work=The New York Times|access-date=28 March 2013|archive-date=16 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716030900/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/health/mary-roach-on-studying-food-and-how-humans-eat-it.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref> Some types of candy, such as [[Lychee Mini Fruity Gels]], have been associated with so many choking deaths that their import or manufacture is banned by some countries.<ref name=Roach /><ref>{{cite journal|author=Seidel JS, Gausche-Hill M|title=Lychee-flavored gel candies: a potentially lethal snack for infants and children|journal=Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med|volume=156|issue=11|pages=1120–2|date=November 2002|pmid=12413340|doi=10.1001/archpedi.156.11.1120}}</ref>

Non-nutritive toy products such as [[chocolate eggs]] containing packaging with a toy inside are banned from sale in the US. If the material attached to confectionery has a function and will not cause any injury to the consumer, it is allowed to be marketed. In the EU, however, the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC specifies that toys contained in food only need separate packaging that cannot be swallowed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02009L0048-20140721&from=EN|title=Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys|publisher=European Parliament & Council|date=18 June 2009|access-date=8 April 2015|archive-date=26 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126180535/http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02009L0048-20140721&from=EN|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Sales==
{{See also|List of top-selling candy brands}}
[[File:M&M_candy_at_New_York_shop.jpg|alt=All assorted M&M candies in tubes at signature shop in New York|thumb|All assorted M&M candies at New York shop]]
Global sales of candies were estimated to have been approximately US$118 billion in 2012.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kawash|first1=Samira|title=Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|date=2013|publisher=Faber & Faber, Incorporated|location=New York|isbn=9780865477568|page=6}}</ref> In the United States, $2 is spent on chocolate for every $1 spent on non-chocolate candy.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rivenburg|first=Roy|date=21 October 2020|title=Will the Pandemic Hurt the Candy–Industrial Complex?|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-10-21/will-the-pandemic-hurt-the-candy-industrial-complex|access-date=2020-10-24|archive-date=2020-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023184443/https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-10-21/will-the-pandemic-hurt-the-candy-industrial-complex|url-status=live}}</ref>

Because each culture varies in how it treats some foods, a food may be considered a candy in one place and a dessert in another. For example, in Western countries, [[baklava]] is served on a plate and eaten with a fork as a dessert, but in the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Eastern Europe, it is treated as a candy.<ref name=":0" />

==Cultural significance==
Candy is the source of several cultural themes.

Adults worry that other people will use candy to poison or entice children into harmful situations. [[Stranger danger]] warnings include telling children not to take candy from strangers, for fear of the child being abducted. [[Poisoned candy myths]] persist in popular culture, especially around [[trick-or-treating]] at [[Halloween]], despite the rarity of actual incidents.<ref name="Kawash8" />

The phrase [[wikt:en:like taking candy from a baby|''like taking candy from a baby'']] is a common [[simile]], and means that something is very easy to do.<ref name="Kawash8" />

A 1959 Swedish [[dental health]] campaign encouraged people to reduce the risk of dental problems by limiting consumption of candy to once a week. The slogan, "All the sweets you want, but only once a week", started a tradition of buying candy every Saturday, called ''[[lördagsgodis]]'' (literally "Saturday candy").<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Kawash|first1 = Samira|title = Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure|date = 2013|publisher = Faber & Faber, Incorporated|location = New York|isbn = 9780865477568|pages = 257–258}}</ref> However, the widespread availability of bulk confectionery has made Swedes the world’s largest consumers of candy since at least 2009.<ref>{{cite web | title=En ständig kamp mot sockret | trans-title=A constant battle with sugar | website=[[Lund University]] | date=2021-12-09 | url=https://www.lu.se/artikel/en-standig-kamp-mot-sockret | archive-url=https://archive.today/20250627185612/https://www.lu.se/artikel/en-standig-kamp-mot-sockret | archive-date=2025-06-27 | url-status=live | language=sv | access-date=2025-06-27 | quote=Sedan lösgodiset introducerades på 1980-talet har godiskonsumtionen i Sverige ökat från 10 till 15 kg per person och år. Idag äter svenskarna mest godis i hela världen. | trans-quote=Since the introduction of [[bulk confectionery]] in the 1980s, candy consumption in [[Sweden]] has increased from 10 to 15 kg per person per year. Today, Swedes eat the most candy in the world.}}</ref>

== Holidays ==

=== Association with Halloween ===
The process of going door to door to receive free candy during Halloween, has become a major draw for children, particularly in America. Children dress up in costume, and residents buy candy for children and hand it out in small increments. The main form of candy passed out is pre-packaged sweets. Parents feel more comfortable allowing their children to eat pre-packaged candies because of the quality control. As a result, name brand candies have become a staple for Halloween and trick-or-treating. Some candies continue to be popular with US trick-or-treaters, such as Reese's Cups, which was the top chocolate Halloween candy, and Skittles, which were the top non-chocolate candy of 2025. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Lanee |title=Best Halloween Candy 2025: What To Hand Out (And What To Skip) |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/laneelee-1/2025/10/27/best-halloween-candy-2025-what-to-hand-out-and-what-to-skip/ |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

The tradition of handing out treats on Halloween originated from the holiday of All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day, which derives from Christian tradition. On this day, children would travel across town, saying prayers. They prayed mainly for all those who had died. In between their prayers, these children would arrive at the doorsteps of houses. As a reward for their actions, they were given homemade cakes referred to as soul cakes, made by the homeowners. These soul cakes resembled a form of biscuit and were usually filled with raisins or cinnamon among other ingredients. Many cakes were also given to the poor. The soul cakes gave these children the incentive to pray intensely in exchange for sweets.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sheidlower |first1=Noah |last2=Marya |first2=Radhika |date=2021-10-31 |title=Halloween food traditions go way back – and didn't always involve candy |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/31/us/halloween-food-candy-history-apple-peels-cec/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924154518/https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/31/us/halloween-food-candy-history-apple-peels-cec/ |archive-date=2022-09-24 |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref>
[[File:Halloween candy 1.jpg|thumb|Halloween candy being sold at a [[supermarket]] in [[Virginia]]]]

The idea of providing trick-or-treaters with candy began in the 1950s in the US. Up until then many households continued to provide children with soul cakes among other homemade goods. However, it was discovered by candy producers that Halloween could be marketed to sell their products. As a result, many households began to buy candy. The main draw to these candy products were that they were inexpensive, took no time to prepare, and came in bulk. Nevertheless, candy would not fully take over until the 1970s. Up until then, givers would continue to make treats or package small toys and coins specifically for Halloween.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-15 |title=Why Do We Eat Candy on Halloween? |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/602879/halloween-candy-history |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007213421/https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/602879/halloween-candy-history |archive-date=2022-10-07 |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=Mental Floss |language=en-US}}</ref>

The main cause for the shift from homemade treats to pre-packaged candies was the result of speculation concerning tampered food. Parents were concerned their children were being exposed to chemicals within their halloween goods. The lack of packaging made it much easier for a person to put dangerous substances in. These worries were heightened because of a large number of false reports concerning medical attention relating to dangerous halloween treats. As a result, parents became more likely to allow their children to participate in Halloween festivities when packed candy was introduced. They noticed it would be harder for someone to tamper with factory-packaged sweets because the seal would be torn.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kawash |first=Samira |date=2010-10-21 |title=How Candy and Halloween Became Best Friends |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/10/how-candy-and-halloween-became-best-friends/64895/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024224032/https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/10/how-candy-and-halloween-became-best-friends/64895/ |archive-date=2022-10-24 |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref>

In 2025, consumer spending on Halloween candy was expected to reach $12 billion, a new record. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandhu-Longoria |first=Amritpal Kaur |title=Costumes, candy, decor fuel $12.2 billion Halloween spending splurge in US: A new record |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/10/09/halloween-sales-hit-record-12-billion/71121296007/ |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> Candy continues to be a staple for the Halloween season and remains the biggest draw for participation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halloween candy sales are booming. Here are the most popular candies in your state |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/halloween-candy-sales-booming-most-161500024.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025172236/https://www.yahoo.com/now/halloween-candy-sales-booming-most-161500024.html |archive-date=2022-10-25 |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=www.yahoo.com |date=18 October 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In October 2025, retailers reported an increase in cocoa prices was driving up the price of Halloween candy. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-29 |title=Why experts say Halloween candy prices continue to climb, in two charts |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/data-shows-halloween-candy-prices-are-even-higher-2025-2024-rcna238904 |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Bulk confectionery]]
* [[Candy making]]
* [[List of candies]]
* [[List of desserts]]
* [[List of top-selling candy brands]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Sister project links|candy}}
* [http://www.candywrappermuseum.com/ Candy Wrapper Museum] – Extensive photo archive
* [http://www.CandyUSA.org/ National Confectioners Association] – Information on a variety of candies
* [http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/sugar-stages.html Science of Candy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106142332/http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/sugar-stages.html |date=2006-01-06 }} – Descriptions and videos of hardness stages
* [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/24/magazine/candy-world-favorite.html 33 Unique Treats From All Around the World] in ''[[The New York Times]]''

{{Candy}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Candy| ]]
[[Category:Convenience foods]]
[[Category:Types of food]]
[[Category:Halloween food]]