How to Choose Candy: 5 Important Considerations for Selecting Candy

How to choose candy

1. Packaging

High-quality candy has moisture-proof packaging, clear trademarks, candy names, and manufacturer names. The packaging is tight, neat, and without cracks or looseness. Premium candies have multiple layers of exquisite packaging. Ordinary candies usually have only one layer of packaging, and some may even lack the manufacturer's name, indicating poor quality.

2. Appearance

High-quality candy has a smooth and even surface, free of cracks, defects, stickiness, and impurities, with good transparency. Filled candies should not leak. If the candy is uneven in size, sticky, or lacks transparency, it is of inferior quality.

Each type of candy has its unique fragrance. If a certain candy loses its inherent fragrance, it indicates a qualitative change, and consumers should avoid purchasing it.

3. Taste

Good candy has a sweet and smooth taste, with no other off-flavors. Milk candy, protein candy, and chocolate candy should have a delicate texture. Inferior candies may have a burnt or bitter taste and other unpleasant flavors. Good candy has intact packaging; hard candy should be hard and brittle; soft candy should be soft and elastic, and filled candy should not leak. All candies should not stick to teeth or paper. If there is any crystallization, it is not advisable to purchase.

4. Quantity

Candies produced by regular manufacturers have a certain number of pieces per kilogram, with uniform sizes. For candies with fewer than 100 pieces (blocks) per kilogram, a variance of 2 pieces is allowed; for 100-200 pieces, a variance of 4 pieces is allowed; for more than 200 pieces, a variance of 6 pieces is allowed. If the quantity of purchased candy does not meet these values, the quality is poor.

5. Melting and crystallization

If the surface packaging of the candy has a small amount of stickiness, it indicates slight melting; if it starts to dissolve and deform, it indicates severe melting. A white crystalline layer on the candy surface at 1-2 meters indicates slight crystallization; at 3-5 meters, it indicates severe crystallization. Crystallization is the phenomenon of sucrose in candy melting and then re-crystallizing. Severe crystallization makes the candy brittle and crumbly, which is not advisable to purchase.

Five considerations for selecting candy

1. First, check if the outer packaging is damaged, clean, and if the printing is clear. The labels should be complete and standard. Products from regular manufacturers should have clear labels indicating the product name, manufacturer name, address, ingredient list, net weight, product type, standard code, and shelf life. If the packaging has poor printing quality, unclear text, incomplete labeling, or lacks a production date, do not purchase.

2. The color of the candy should be normal, uniform, and bright, with a pure aroma and moderate flavor, without any off-flavors. The shape of the candy should be proper, with neat edges, no missing corners or cracks, a shiny and smooth surface, clear patterns, uniform size and thickness, and no visible impurities.

3. Choose well-known brand products produced by reputable companies sold in large malls and supermarkets.

4. Select products that are recently produced and have intact packaging. Especially for candies containing dairy products, those past their shelf life are prone to spoilage, appearing yellow and having off-flavors. Additionally, damaged packaging can lead to contamination.

5. Try to eat less candy before bedtime, and brush your teeth after consuming candy to prevent cavities.