How to choose candy: 5 things to consider when selecting candy.

How to choose candy

1. Packaging

High-quality candy has moisture-resistant packaging, clear trademarks, candy names, and manufacturer names. The packaging should be tight, neat, and without cracks or looseness. Premium candies often have multiple layers of beautifully designed 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 without cracks, defects, stickiness, or impurities, and good transparency. Filled candies should not leak filling. If the candy is uneven in size, sticky, or lacks transparency, it is considered low-quality.

Each type of candy has its unique aroma; if a certain candy loses its inherent fragrance, it indicates a qualitative change that consumers should avoid.

3. Taste

Good candy has a sweet taste that is smooth and moderate without any off-flavors. Milk candies, protein candies, and chocolate candies should have a delicate texture. Poor-quality candies may have burnt or bitter tastes and other unpleasant flavors. Good candies have intact packaging; hard candies should be hard and brittle; soft candies should be soft and elastic; filled candies should not leak filling. All candies should not stick to teeth or paper. If there is any crystallization present, it is advisable not to purchase.

4. Quantity

Candies produced by reputable manufacturers have a specific quantity per kilogram with uniform sizes. For less 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 up to 6 pieces is allowed. If the quantity of purchased candy does not meet these standards, it indicates poor quality.

5. Melting and crystallization

If the surface packaging paper of the candy has slight stickiness, it indicates mild melting; if it starts to dissolve and deform significantly, it indicates severe melting. A white crystalline layer on the surface at distances of 1-2 meters indicates mild crystallization; at distances of 3-5 meters indicates severe crystallization. Crystallization occurs when sucrose in the candy dissolves and then re-crystallizes. Severe crystallization makes the candy crumbly and fragile blocks that are not advisable to purchase.

Five considerations for selecting candy

1. First observe whether the outer packaging is damaged or clean; check if the printing is clear and if the label is complete and legitimate. Products from reputable manufacturers should have complete labels indicating product name, manufacturer name, address, ingredient list, net weight, product type, standard code number for execution standards, shelf life etc.; avoid purchasing products with poor printing quality where text is unclear or incomplete labeling including missing production dates.

2. The color of the candy should be normal, uniform and bright with pure aroma; flavor intensity should be moderate without any off-flavors; the shape of the candy should be proper with neat edges free from chips or cracks; surfaces should be shiny smooth with clear patterns while being uniform in size and thickness without obvious deformation; there should be no visible impurities in the candy.

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

4. Select products that are recently produced with intact packaging especially those containing dairy products as they can easily spoil after their shelf life leading to yellowing appearance or off-flavors in taste additionally damaged packaging can lead to contamination.

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