**History of Candy:**
– Candy entered English from Old French.
– Sugarcane originated in South and Southeast Asia.
– Initially based on honey, candy was used as medicine before the Industrial Revolution.
– The first candy came to America in the 18th century.
**Industrial Revolution Impact on Candy:**
– Technological advances in the 1830s transformed the candy business.
– The invention of the candy press in 1847 revolutionized candy production.
– Concerns about adulteration and additives in candy led to the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906.
– Color additives in candy were satirized in cartoons during this period.
**Classification of Sugar Candies:**
– Sugar candies include hard candies, soft candies, caramels, marshmallows, and taffy.
– Different types of sugar candies are made through various processes.
– Chocolate is sometimes considered a separate branch of confectionery.
– Flavorless candy was developed in 2022.
**Types of Sugar Candies:**
– Traditional Japanese sugar candy like Konpeitō.
– Fruit-shaped hard candy containing sugar, color, and flavor.
– Homemade nut brittle like Chikki popular in India.
– The first gummy candy was German Haribo gummy bears.
– Fudge is made by mixing sugar, butter, and milk.
**Cultural and Production Significance of Candy:**
– Candy consumption was a luxury item for the wealthy and used as medicine in the Middle Ages.
– The Industrial Revolution made candy more accessible to the working class.
– Different cultures have varying definitions of candy and its consumption.
– Various processes and ingredients are used in the production of sugar candies.
– Packaging plays a crucial role in preserving aroma, flavor, and ease of shipping and dispensation.
Candy, alternatively called sweets or lollies, is a 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. Vegetables, fruit, or nuts which have been glazed and coated with sugar are said to be candied.
 | |
| Alternative names | Sweets, lollies |
|---|---|
| Type | Sugar confectionery |
| Main ingredients | Sugar or honey |
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.