There will be some days when all you crave is some delicious treats. On a long day, in the afternoon, you find yourself craving something sweet. You find a piece of candy that has been on the table for a couple of weeks. It looks fine, but is it? How long do candies stay good to eat?
In short, hard candy last for a very long time. If you store them properly, they can be enjoyed for many years to come. For our candies, we set the expiration date to one year.
Exploring the process of making hard candy will help us understand why hard candy lasts for so long.
Candy is generally made with sugar and corn syrup, with a bit of flavoring and coloring. There can be variations of ingredients, but those are the basics.
Sugar is a natural preservative that prevents bacterial growth. When granulated sugar is added to food, it attaches to water. This results in a lower concentration of water that prevents the growth of microorganisms. This inherent nature of sugar allows it to be good for many years to come.
Does corn syrup go bad? Corn syrup is also very resistant to expiring. Bacteria have a hard time growing in sugary environments like in corn syrups. Corn syrup can last many years when left unopened at room temperature. If it is opened, it is best to consume it within 6 months.
For more information on how to tell if corn syrup is bad, see our blog post here:
https://sparkosweets.com/blogs/news/does-corn-syrup-go-bad
