It's Halloween and that means Halloween candy. Christine Venema is a food safety educator with Michigan State University Extension. She said after talking with several candy makers, they guarantee their products are safe to eat for up to a year. That's if they're not compromised by heat or moisture.
For proper storage, Venema said candy needs to be in an air-tight container and kept in a cool, dry environment. She said that also goes for freezing any candy. "Candy will absorb the moisture from the freezer, as well as any odors or flavors that might be floating around in your freezer. You don't want [it] to taste like Brussels sprouts," she said.
After 12 months, the quality will deteriorate, but there's no concern with food-born illness. That's because the sugar content is so high that bacteria cannot grow. Venema said chocolate will get a white powdery coating. For gummies or non-chocolate candy, the colors will fade and the consistency will change.
"I'm thinking of a package of gummy worms. And the gummy worms, instead of being individual worms, may clump together and be one mass," Venema said.
Venema said to eat candy in moderation, especially with children because of their smaller body mass. She said the worry is, "Increasing the calorie intake and the little ones and the medium sized ones not burning it all off. If it's a full size candy bar, [you] definitely only want one because when children start to metabolize this pure sugar, in some children, that does spike a sugar rush."
She also warned that too much candy can lead to dental cavities and that hard candies are a choking hazard for small children.
Venema recommended balancing candy intake with healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as plenty of fluids and liquid.
As far as food safety, Venema said to throw away anything with a torn or open wrapper, anything that gets wet, or anything that doesn't look right. She said parents should screen any candy bags before children start eating, and let children know the plan. "Set the ground rules before you actually go out," she said.
