How to Choose Candy: 5 Key Points to Keep in Mind When Buying Candy

How to Choose and Buy Candy

1. Packaging

High-quality candy wrappers exhibit excellent moisture resistance, with the trademark design, candy name, and manufacturer’s name all clearly visible. The packaging is tight, sturdy, and neatly arranged, with no signs of cracking or loosening. Premium candies typically come in multi-layered, exquisitely designed packaging, whereas ordinary candies usually have only a single layer—some even lack the manufacturer’s name on the wrapper, which often indicates lower product quality.

2. Appearance

High-quality candies have a smooth, even surface free of cracks, chips, sticking, and impurities, with good transparency. The filling must not be exposed. Candies that are uneven in size, sticky, or lack sufficient transparency are considered substandard.

Each type of candy has its own distinctive aroma. If a candy loses its inherent aroma, it undergoes a qualitative change and is no longer suitable for consumers to purchase.

3. Taste

High-quality candies should have a sweet, smooth, and well-balanced taste with no off-flavors. Cream candies, meringues, and chocolate confections, in particular, should exhibit a fine, velvety texture. By contrast, inferior candies often carry a burnt or bitter aftertaste, along with other unpleasant odors. The packaging of premium candies should be intact: hard candies should be firm and crisp, soft candies should be supple and elastic, and filled chocolates should not reveal the filling. No candy should stick to the teeth or to the wrapper. If you detect a gritty sensation, it is best to avoid purchasing that product.

4. Number of particles

Candies produced by reputable manufacturers shall meet the specified maximum number of pieces per kilogram and exhibit uniform specifications. For products containing fewer than 100 pieces per kilogram, a deviation of up to 2 pieces is permitted; for those containing 100 to 200 pieces per kilogram, a deviation of up to 4 pieces is permitted; and for those containing more than 200 pieces per kilogram, a deviation of ±6 pieces is permitted. If the number of pieces in the purchased candies does not comply with the above requirements, the product is deemed to be substandard.

5. Hair Loss and Thinning

If a small amount of sticky packaging film adheres to the surface of the candy, it indicates mild sugar bloom; if the candy begins to melt and deform, it indicates severe sugar bloom. A white crystalline layer on the candy surface that is 1–2 millimeters thick signifies mild sugar bloom, while a layer 3–5 millimeters thick indicates severe sugar bloom. Sugar bloom refers to the phenomenon in which sucrose in the candy recrystallizes after melting. Severe sugar bloom can turn the candy into loose, brittle granules, making it unsuitable for purchase.

Five Key Considerations When Buying Candy

1. First, inspect the outer packaging to ensure it is intact, neat, and clean, with clear printing and complete, standardized labeling. Candy products manufactured by reputable producers should bear complete and clearly printed labels that specify the product name, the name of the manufacturer, the production address, the ingredient list, the net content, the product type, the code of the applicable implementation standard, and the shelf life. If you notice poor print quality, illegible lettering, incomplete label information, or the absence of a production date on the packaging, do not purchase the product.

2. Candies shall exhibit normal, uniform, and bright color and luster; possess a pure aroma and moderate taste, with no off-flavors; have a neat and well-defined appearance, with straight edges and corners, no chipped or cracked sections, a smooth and glossy surface, clear patterns, consistent size and thickness, and no obvious deformation; furthermore, no visible impurities shall be present in the candies.

3. Well-known brand products manufactured by reputable companies and sold in major department stores and supermarkets.

4. Please select products that were recently manufactured and are securely packaged. This is especially important for milk-based confectionery, as such products are highly susceptible to spoilage once the expiration date has passed, often developing a yellowish discoloration and off-odors. In addition, damaged packaging can lead to product contamination.

5. Try to eat as few candies as possible before bedtime, and be sure to brush your teeth promptly after eating them to prevent tooth decay.