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Periodic Graphics

Periodic Graphics: The chemistry of candy corn

Chemical educator and Compound Interest blogger Andy Brunning explores the colorful chemistry behind this classic Halloween candy.

by Andy Brunning, special to C&EN
November 14, 2023 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 101, Issue 36

 

The chemistry of candy corn

Confectioners produce around 9 billion pieces of candy corn every year, according to the US National Confectioners Association. Here we look at what candy corn is made of and the chemistry behind its vibrant colors.

How is candy corn made?

Candy corn is a type of candy called a mallow cream. Manufacturers make candy corn by combining fondant with frappé (a marshmallow-like ingredient), coloring agents, and flavors.

Fondant (sugar, water, and corn syrup) plus frappé (egg white, gelatin, and sugar) plus coloring agents and flavors (dyes and vanilla) get put in a mold (impressions in cornstarch). Each color is deposited in turn.

Cornstarch removes moisture from the candies as they dry. Manufacturers then put the dried candy corn into a metal tumbling pan and coat it in shellac wax for a shiny appearance.

The colors of candy corn

Candy corn's colors come from food dyes. These include the azo dyes tartrazine (yellow no. 5) and sunset yellow (yellow no. 6).

Erythrosine (red no. 3) is another dye that candy corn confectioners often use. Manufacturers have also created alternative candy corn, which is colored with turmeric and β-carotene instead of synthetic dyes.

An image of a piece of candy corn shows that sunset yellow is responsible for the bottom, yellow layer, while tartrazine and erythrosine are responsible for the middle, orange layer. The chemical structures of tartrazine, erythrosine, and sunset yellow are also shown.

Candy corn is a type of candy called a mallow cream. Manufacturers make candy corn by combining fondant with frappé (a marshmallow-like ingredient), coloring agents, and flavors. Machines deposit the mixture in layers into a mold formed from impressions in cornstarch. The cornstarch removes moisture from the candies as they dry. Manufacturers then put the dried candy corn into a metal tumbling pan and coat it in shellac wax for a shiny appearance.

Candy corn's colors come from food dyes. These include the azo dyes tartrazine (yellow 5) and sunset yellow (yellow 6). Erythrosine (red no. 3) is another dye that candy corn manufacturers often use. Manufacturers have also created alternative candy corn, which is colored with turmeric and β-carotene instead of synthetic dyes.
Credit: Andy Brunning

To download a pdf of this article, visit cenm.ag/candycorn.

References used to create this graphic:

Bryk, Nancy E. V. “Candy Corn.” How Products Are Made. Accessed Oct. 18, 2023.

BytesizeScience. “Candy Corn Chemistry!” Oct. 26, 2011. YouTube video, 1:13.

Hartel, Richard W., and AnnaKate Hartel. Candy Bites: The Science of Sweets . New York: Copernicus, 2014. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-9383-9.

A collaboration between C&EN and Andy Brunning, author of the popular graphics blog Compound Interest

To see more of Brunning’s work, go to compoundchem.com. To see all of C&EN’s Periodic Graphics, visit cenm.ag/periodicgraphics.

 

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