Stuffs

Best buys and other tasty bits

Wednesday, October 28, 1998


Famous Brands International
Candy corn and other "mellowcreme" treats
have been fall staples for decades.



A corny tradition

Another sign of the Halloween times: candy corn.

It's been around since the 1920s, and Americans eat 13.4 million pounds of the sweet treat every fall, making Favorite Brands Internation-al, maker of candy corn, the largest non-chocolate candy maker in the world.

If this is one of your annual favorites -- or if you just wonder what the deal is with this classic candy -- here are some tidbits, according to Favorite Brands:

bullet Is there any corn in it? Well, corn syrup. Along with honey and sugar. So, in other words the ingredients are sweetener, sweetener and sweetener.

bullet Are the three colors different flavors? The orange and yellow layers are exactly the same, except for the color. The white tip is made firmer "by adding unique ingredients," so it really does taste a little different.

bullet What about Indian corn and candy pumpkins? Same mixture. The official name is "mellowcreme."

bullet How do they get it to be that shape? The mogul. It's a giant machine that deposits the three colors into triangular molds made of cornstarch. Yellow comes first, then orange, then white. Another machine shakes off the cornstarch and yet another applies the glaze that makes it shiny.

bullet What's the most popular way to eat candy corn? Color by color.

bullet How many kernels are in a 1-pound bag? About 294.

bullet Is it strictly a Halloween/Thanks-giving treat? No, Famous Brands also makes a red, pink and white version for Valentine's Day. The company sells nearly 5 billion little kernels a year.

bullet Is candy corn bad for me? Only 4.4 calories per kernel and no fat! But then, who eats just one?



Star-Bulletin staff



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