91-408: 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 . Physically, candy is characterized by
182-444: A wedding cake , birthday cake , or Halloween . The chocolate company Cadbury (under the guidance of Richard Cadbury ) was the first to commercialize the connection between romance and confectionery, producing a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine's Day in 1868. Tourists commonly eat confections as part of their travels. The indulgence in rich, sugary foods is seen as a special treat, and choosing local specialties
273-607: A "staple food" for tax purposes requires that the sugar or fat content be no more than 2% of the weight of the flour, so some products sold as bread in the US would be treated as confectionery there. Cakes have a somewhat bread-like texture, and many earlier cakes, such as the centuries-old stollen (fruit cake), or the even older king cake , were rich yeast breads. The variety of styles and presentations extends from simple to elaborate. Major categories include butter cakes , tortes , and foam cakes . Confusingly, some confections that have
364-431: A baby is a common simile , and means that something is very easy to do. A 1959 Swedish dental health campaign encouraged people to reduce the risk of dental problems by limiting consumption of candy to once a week. The slogan, "All the sweets you want, but only once a week", started a tradition of buying candy every Saturday, called lördagsgodis (literally "Saturday candy"). Confectionery Confectionery
455-617: A candy in one culture and a dessert in another. The word candy entered the English language from the Old French çucre candi ("sugar candy"). The French term probably has earlier roots in the Arabic qandi , Persian qand and Sanskrit khanda , all words for sugar. Sugarcane is indigenous to tropical South and Southeast Asia . Pieces of sugar were produced by boiling sugarcane juice in ancient India and consumed as khanda . Between
546-466: A college degree decreasing by 1 percent from 2012 to 2016. Florida saw an even larger increase, with voter turnout among white voters without a college degree increasing almost 7 percent from 2012 to 2016. In North Carolina , voter turnout in 2016 by this demographic increasing more than 4 percent compared to 2012. According to Lynn Vavreck and colleagues, survey data revealed that economic insecurities mattered to Trump voters most when connected to
637-407: A hard sugar coating. In 1847, the invention of the candy press (also known under the surprising name of a toy machine ) made it possible to produce multiple shapes and sizes of candy at once. In 1851, confectioners began to use a revolving steam pan to assist in boiling sugar. This transformation meant that the candy maker was no longer required to continuously stir the boiling sugar. The heat from
728-429: A high glycemic index (GI), which means that it causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels after ingestion. This is chiefly a concern for people with diabetes , but could also be dangerous to the health of non-diabetics. Some kinds of candy have been contaminated with an excessive amount of lead in it. Claims of contamination have been made since shortly after industrial-scale candy factories began producing candy in
819-718: A high school diploma and many have only some college education. Due to differences between middle and working class cultures , working class college students may face culture shock upon entering the post-secondary education system, with its "middle class" culture. Some researchers try to measure the cultural differences between the American middle class and working class and suggest their ahistorical sources and implications for educational attainment, future income, and other life chances. Sociologist Melvin Kohn argues that working class values emphasize external standards, such as obedience and
910-530: A high-moisture environment into a low-moisture candy, rendering it rubbery, or the loss of desirable water from a high-moisture candy into a dry environment, rendering the candy dry and brittle. Another factor, affecting only non-crystalline amorphous candies, is the glass transition process. This can cause amorphous candies to lose their intended texture. Both bakers' and sugar confections are used to offer hospitality to guests. Confections are used to mark celebrations or events, such as Christmas , Easter ,
1001-411: A large swing for Trump among the white working class. According to Nate Cohn, the gains that Trump's opponent Hillary Clinton made among other voter classes "were overwhelmed by Mr. Trump's huge appeal to white voters without a degree." Voter turnout among white voters who did not have a college degree had increased by 3 percent from 2012 to 2016., despite the composition of white voters who did not have
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#17327764808471092-476: A much greater extent than their counterparts in peer countries. According to Matthew Desmond , the U.S. "offers some of the lowest wages in the industrialized world" which has "swelled the ranks of the working poor, most of whom are thirty-five or older." Jonathan Hopkin writes that the United States took the lead in implementing the neoliberal agenda in the 1980s, making it "the most extreme case of
1183-455: A particular sugar concentration. These are called sugar stages . In general, higher temperatures and greater sugar concentrations result in hard, brittle candies, and lower temperatures result in softer candies. Once the syrup reaches 171 °C (340 °F) or higher, the sucrose molecules break down into many simpler sugars, creating an amber -colored substance known as caramel . This should not be confused with caramel candy , although it
1274-462: A protein found in skin and bones, and is thus avoided by vegans and some vegetarians . " Kosher gelatin " is also unsuitable for vegetarians and vegans, as it is derived from fish bones. Other substances, such as agar , pectin , starch and gum arabic may also be used as setting and gelling agents, and can be used in place of gelatin. Other ingredients commonly found in candy that are not suitable for vegetarian or vegan diets include carmine ,
1365-706: A racial animus, with the job losses being specifically important when lost to an out-group , in a composite they called 'racialized economics'. Trump supporters have in turn been claimed to have actually have their jobs threatened by Trump's policies, but have continued supporting him. Jonathan Metzl has claimed that low-income white men in Missouri, Tennessee and Kansas oppose policies that support people in their position because they believe that undeserving groups would benefit from them. Arlie Russell Hochschild has studied working-class people in Louisiana , and come to
1456-433: A recognizable name brand on it became a sign of safety. Packaging helps market the product as well. Manufacturers know that candy must be hygienic and attractive to customers. In the children's market quantity, novelty, large size and bright colors are the top sellers. Many companies redesign the packaging to maintain consumer appeal. Because of its high sugar concentration, bacteria are not usually able to grow in candy. As
1547-481: A red dye made from cochineal beetles, and confectioner's glaze , which contains shellac , a resin excreted by female lac bugs . Candy generally contains sugar, which is a key environmental factor in the formation of dental caries (cavities). Several types of bacteria commonly found in the mouth consume sugar, particularly Streptococcus mutans . When these bacteria metabolize the sugar found in most candies, juice, or other sugary foods, they produce acids in
1638-532: A replacement for unsweetened breakfast cereals and also for eating as a snack or as candy, using three animated cartoon bears as the mascots: Candy, Handy, and Dandy. The early slogans said, "As a cereal it's dandy—for snacks it's so handy—or eat it like candy!" In more recent times, a variety of snack bars have been marketed. These include bars that are intended as meal replacements as well as snack bars that are marketed as having nutritional advantages when compared to candy bars, such as granola bars . However,
1729-403: A result, the shelf life is longer for candy than for many other foods. Most candies can be safely stored in their original packaging at room temperature in a dry, dark cupboard for months or years. As a rule, the softer the candy or the damper the storage area, the sooner it goes stale. Shelf life considerations with most candies are focused on appearance, taste, and texture, rather than about
1820-412: A role in its adoption as the most popular treat given away during trick-or-treating for Halloween in the US. In the 1940s, most treats were homemade. During the 1950s, small, individually wrapped candies were recognized as convenient and inexpensive. By the 1970s, after widely publicized but largely false stories of poisoned candy myths circulating in the popular press, factory-sealed packaging with
1911-465: A soft, cake-like texture. Others are crisp or hard. Sugar confections include sweet, sugar-based foods, which are usually eaten as snack food . This includes sugar candies , chocolates , candied fruits and nuts, chewing gum , and sometimes ice cream . In some cases, chocolate confections are treated as a separate category, as are sugar-free versions of sugar confections. Different dialects of English use regional terms for sugar confections: In
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#17327764808472002-408: A strong respect for authority as well as little tolerance for deviance. This is opposed to middle-class individuals who, he says, emphasize internal standards, self-direction, curiosity and a tolerance for non-conformity. ... views were quite varied at every class level, but the values we are calling working-class become increasingly common at lower class levels... Kohn's interpretation... is based on
2093-432: A transfer of water vapor while being lightweight, non-toxic and odor proof. Vegetable parchment lines boxes of high-quality confections like gourmet chocolates. Cardboard cartons are less common, though they offer many options concerning thickness and movement of water and oil. Packages are often sealed with a starch-based adhesive derived from tapioca, potato, wheat, sago, or sweet potato. Occasionally, glues are made from
2184-406: A wide variety of textures, from soft and chewy to hard and brittle. The texture of candy depends on the ingredients and the temperatures that the candy is processed at. The final texture of sugar candy depends primarily on the concentration of sugar. As the syrup is heated, it boils, water evaporates, the sugar concentration increases and the boiling point rises. A given temperature corresponds to
2275-485: Is table sugar , which is chemically a disaccharide containing both glucose and fructose . Hydrolysis of sucrose gives a mixture called invert sugar , which is sweeter and is also a common commercial ingredient. Finally, confections, especially commercial ones, are sweetened by a variety of syrups obtained by hydrolysis of starch . These sweeteners include all types of corn syrup . Bakers' confectionery includes sweet baked goods, especially those that are served for
2366-515: Is a common term for this packaging. Packaging preserves aroma and flavor and eases shipping and dispensation. Wax paper seals against air, moisture, dust, and germs, while cellophane is valued by packagers for its transparency and resistance to grease, odors and moisture. In addition, it is often resealable. Polyethylene is another form of film sealed with heat, and this material is often used to make bags in bulk packaging. Plastic wraps are also common. Aluminum foils wrap chocolate bars and prevent
2457-592: Is a subset of products produced by a baker . Sugar confectionery includes candies (also called sweets , short for sweetmeats , in many English-speaking countries), candied nuts, chocolates, chewing gum, bubble gum, pastillage , and other confections that are made primarily of sugar. In some cases, chocolate confections (confections made of chocolate) are treated as a separate category, as are sugar-free versions of sugar confections. The words candy (Canada and US), sweets (UK, Ireland, and others), and lollies (Australia and New Zealand) are common words for some of
2548-652: Is banned by some countries. Non-nutritive toy products such as chocolate eggs containing packaging with a toy inside are banned from sale in the US. If the material attached to confectionery has a function and will not cause any injury to the consumer, it is allowed to be marketed. In the EU, however, the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC specifies that toys contained in food only need separate packaging that cannot be swallowed. Global sales of candies were estimated to have been approximately US$ 118 billion in 2012. In
2639-461: Is cooked in large kettles fashioned for melting and molded, dried and sugared like gum drops . They are soaked for a time in sugar syrup to allow crystals to form. Sugar candies can be classified into noncrystalline and crystalline types. Noncrystalline candies are homogeneous and may be chewy or hard; they include hard candies, caramels, toffees, and nougats. Crystalline candies incorporate small crystals in their structure, are creamy that melt in
2730-413: Is effective in increasing social mobility, if not in eradicating social class under capitalism. According to Thomas B. Edsall , an experienced political commentator, the white working class, defined as non-Hispanic whites who have not completed college, plays a pivotal role in the politics of the United States . This segment of the electorate is large and volatile and its swing vote role closely tracks
2821-440: Is not a significant source of nutrition or food energy for most people. The average American eats about 1.1 kg (2.5 pounds) of sugar or similar sweeteners each week, but almost 95% of that sugar—all but about 70 grams (2.5 ounces)—comes from non-candy sources, especially soft drinks and processed foods. Candy is considered a source of empty calories , because it provides little or no nutritional value beyond food energy. At
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2912-609: Is popular. For example, visitors to Vienna eat Sachertorte and visitors to seaside resorts in the UK eat Blackpool rock candy. Transportable confections like fudges and tablet may be purchased as souvenirs . Generally, confections are low in micronutrients and protein but high in calories . They may be fat-free foods , although some confections, especially fried doughs and chocolate, are high-fat foods. Many confections are considered empty calories and ultra-processed foods . Specially formulated chocolate has been manufactured in
3003-704: Is still served in this form today, though now it is more typically seen as a type of garnish . Before the Industrial Revolution , candy was often considered a form of medicine , either used to calm the digestive system or cool a sore throat . In the Middle Ages candy appeared on the tables of only the most wealthy at first. At that time, it began as a combination of spices and sugar used as an aid to digestion . Banquet hosts typically served these types of 'candies' at banquets for their guests. One of these candies, sometimes called chamber spice ,
3094-498: Is the art of making confections , or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two broad and somewhat overlapping categories: bakers' confections and sugar confections . Bakers' confectionery, also called flour confections , includes principally sweet pastries, cakes, and similar baked goods . Baker's confectionery excludes everyday breads , and thus
3185-437: Is the candy's main flavoring. Most candies are made commercially. The industry relies significantly on trade secret protection, because candy recipes cannot be copyrighted or patented effectively, but are very difficult to duplicate exactly. Seemingly minor differences in the machinery, temperature, or timing of the candy-making process can cause noticeable differences in the final product. Candy wrapper or sweets wrapper
3276-452: Is the source of several cultural themes. Adults worry that other people will use candy to poison or entice children into harmful situations. Stranger danger warnings include telling children not to take candy from strangers, for fear of the child being abducted. Poisoned candy myths persist in popular culture, especially around trick-or-treating at Halloween , despite the rarity of actual incidents. The phrase like taking candy from
3367-430: Is treated as a separate branch, it also includes confections whose classification is otherwise difficult, being neither exactly candies nor exactly baked goods, like chocolate-dipped foods, tarts with chocolate shells, and chocolate-coated cookies. Sugar candy is made by dissolving sugar in water or milk to form a syrup , which is boiled until it reaches the desired concentration or starts to caramelize . Candy comes in
3458-533: The Middle Ages and into the modern era. The oldest recorded use of the word confectionery discovered so far by the Oxford English Dictionary is by Richard Jonas in 1540, who spelled or misspelled it as "confection nere" in a passage " Ambre , muske , frankencense , gallia muscata and confection nere ", thus in the sense of "things made or sold by a confectioner". Also according to the OED,
3549-483: The candy store became a favorite of the child of the American working class . Penny candies epitomized this transformation of candy. Penny candy became the first material good that children spent their own money on. For this reason, candy store-owners relied almost entirely on the business of children to keep them running. Even penny candies were directly descended from medicated lozenges that held bitter medicine in
3640-474: The dessert course. Bakers' confections are sweet foods that feature flour as a main ingredient and are baked . Major categories include cakes , sweet pastries , doughnuts , scones , and cookies . In the Middle East and Asia, flour-based confections predominate. The definition of which foods are "confectionery" vs "bread" can vary based on cultures and laws. In Ireland, the definition of "bread" as
3731-553: The "traditional" blue-collar fields, there is an increasing demand for service personnel, including clerical and retail occupations. Sociologist Gosta Esping-Anderson describes these supervised service occupations as "junk jobs," as they fail to pay living wages in the face of asset and price inflation , fail to pay benefits, are often insecure, unstable, or temporary, and provide little work control and little opportunity for skill development or advancement. In contrast to other expensive countries with higher proportions of quality jobs,
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3822-511: The 16th century, a cumfit was more specifically a seed, nut or small piece of spice enclosed in a round or ovoid mass of sugar. The production of comfits was a core skill of the early confectioner , who was known more commonly in 16th and 17th century England as a comfitmaker. Reflecting their original medicinal purpose, however, comfits were also produced by apothecaries and directions on how to make them appear in dispensatories as well as cookery texts. An early medieval Latin name for an apothecary
3913-619: The 1920s and 1930s, candy bars selling for five cents were often marketed as replacements for lunch. At the 1904 World Fair, the Quaker Oats Company made a candy-coated puffed cereal, a wheat-based product similar to Cracker Jack 's candy-coated popcorn. The product concept was re-introduced unsuccessfully in 1939 by another business as Ranger Joe , the first pre-sweetened, candy-coated breakfast cereal . Post Foods introduced their own version in 1948, originally called Happy Jax and later Sugar Crisp . They marketed it as both
4004-805: The 6th and 4th centuries BCE, the Persians , followed by the Greeks , discovered the people in India and their "reeds that produce honey without bees ". They adopted and then spread sugar and sugarcane agriculture . Before sugar was readily available, candy was based on honey . Honey was used in Ancient China , the Middle East , Egypt , Greece and the Roman Empire to coat fruits and flowers to preserve them or to create forms of candy. Candy
4095-509: The 6th and 4th centuries BCE, the Persians , followed by the Greeks , made contact with the Indian subcontinent and its "reeds that produce honey without bees". They adopted and then spread sugar and sugarcane agriculture. Sugarcane is indigenous to tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia . In the early history of sugar usage in Europe, it was initially the apothecary who had
4186-683: The American Dream of prosperity and security is a reward for all of this, showing who you have been and are—a badge of honor.... Look! You see people cutting in line ahead of you! You're following the rules. They aren't. As they cut in, it feels like you are being moved back. How can they just do that? Who are they? Some are black. Through affirmative action plans, pushed by the federal government, they are being given preference for places in colleges and universities, apprenticeships, jobs, welfare payments, and free lunches.... Women, immigrants, refugees, public sector workers—where will it end? Your money
4277-1187: The European Union, the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE) scheme (revision 2) matches the UN classification, under code number 10.82. In the United States, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS 2012) splits sugar confectionery across three categories: National industry code 311340 for all non-chocolate confectionery manufacturing, 311351 for chocolate and confectionery manufacturing from cacao beans, and national industry 311352 for confectionery manufacturing from purchased chocolate. Ice cream and sorbet are classified with dairy products under ISIC 1050, NACE 10.52, and NAICS 311520. Sugar confectionery items include candies, lollipops , candy bars , chocolate , cotton candy , and other sweet items of snack food . Some of
4368-529: The Republican base of support. The political role of the white working class was re-examined during the 2016 United States presidential election , due to the strong support for Donald Trump by white working class voters. Trump's victory was in part credited to this support in swing states such as Wisconsin , Michigan , and Pennsylvania , that had previously been won by his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama . Professional pollsters did not predict such
4459-426: The U.S. has developed an economy where two-thirds of jobs do not require or reward higher education; the other one-third of jobs consist largely in managing the junk job workers. Despite, or perhaps because of the well-known limitations that the US labor market , inequality—including deep educational inequality , and other structural factors set on social mobility in the US , many commentators find more interesting
4550-664: The US, a chocolate-coated candy bar (e.g. Snickers ) would be called a candy bar , in Britain more likely a chocolate bar than unspecifically a sweet . The United Nations' International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) scheme (revision 4) classifies both chocolate and sugar confectionery as ISIC 1073, which includes the manufacture of chocolate and chocolate confectionery; sugar confectionery proper (caramels, cachous, nougats, fondant, white chocolate ), chewing gum, preserving fruit, nuts, fruit peels, and making confectionery lozenges and pastilles. In
4641-472: The US. There is no specific maximum in the EU. Candy colorants, particularly yellow colorants such as E102 Tartrazine , E104 Quinoline Yellow WS and E110 Sunset Yellow FCF , have many restrictions around the world. Tartrazine, for example, can cause allergic and asthmatic reactions and was once banned in Austria, Germany, and Norway. Some countries such as the UK have asked the food industry to phase out
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#17327764808474732-470: The United States, $ 2 is spent on chocolate for every $ 1 spent on non-chocolate candy. Because each culture varies in how it treats some foods, a food may be considered a candy in one place and a dessert in another. For example, in Western countries, baklava is served on a plate and eaten with a fork as a dessert, but in the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Eastern Europe, it is treated as a candy. Candy
4823-723: The actual nutritional value is often not very different from candy bars, except for usually a higher sodium content, and the flavors (most popularly, chocolate, fudge, and caramel) and the presentation mimic candy bars. Among the Bengali people , candy may be eaten for an entire meal, especially during festivals. Candy may also be offered to vegetarian guests in lieu of fish or meat dishes in India. Most candy contains no meat or other animal parts, and many contain no milk or other animal products. Some candy, including marshmallows and gummi bears , contains gelatin derived from animal collagen,
4914-460: The addition of hazardous substances for which there was no legal regulation: green ( chromium(III) oxide and copper acetate ), red ( lead(II,IV) oxide and mercury sulfide ), yellow ( lead chromate ) and white ( chalk , arsenic trioxide ). In an 1885 cover cartoon for Puck , Joseph Keppler satirized the dangers of additives in candy by depicting the "mutual friendship" between striped candy, doctors, and gravediggers . By 1906, research into
5005-444: The amount of sugar they contain and their chemical structure . Hard-boiled candies made by the vacuum cooking process include stick candy , lemon drops and horehound drops . Open-fire candy, like molasses taffy and cream taffy, is cooked in open kettles and then pulled. Pan work candies include nuts and other candies like jelly beans and sugar-coated almonds, made by coating with sugar in revolving copper kettles. Gum work candy
5096-688: The blue-color working-class and college-educated workers. Working-class men are characterized by Rubin as taking a rational posture while women are characterized as being more emotional and oriented towards communication of feelings. This constellation of cultural issues has been explored in the popular media, for example, the television shows, Roseanne or All in the Family featuring Archie Bunker and his wife Edith Bunker . These popular television programs also explored generational change and conflict in working-class families. One does need to note, however, that there are great variations in cultural values among
5187-451: The bones and skin of cattle and hogs for a stronger and more flexible product, but this is not as common because of the expense. Prior to the 1900s, candy was commonly sold unwrapped from carts in the street, where it was exposed to dirt and insects. By 1914, there were some machines to wrap gum and stick candies, but this was not the common practice. After the polio outbreak in 1916, unwrapped candies garnered widespread censure because of
5278-406: The categories and types of sugar confectionery include the following: Shelf life is largely determined by the amount of water present in the candy and the storage conditions. High-sugar candies, such as boiled candies, can have a shelf life of many years if kept covered in a dry environment. Spoilage of low-moisture candies tends to involve a loss of shape, color, texture, and flavor, rather than
5369-420: The community. Such cultural value differences are thought to be closely linked to an individual's occupation. Working-class employees tend to be closely supervised and thus emphasize external values and obedience. Working class culture can be broken down into subgroup tendencies. According to Rubin (1976), there is a differential in social and emotional skills both between working-class men and women and between
5460-660: The conclusion that what is motivating them is a feeling, which she calls the Deep Story: You are patiently standing in a long line leading up a hill, as in a pilgrimage. You are situated in the middle of this line, along with others who are also white, older, Christian, predominantly male, some with college degrees, some not. Just over the brow of the hill is the American Dream, the goal of everyone waiting in line.... You've suffered long hours, layoffs, and exposure to dangerous chemicals at work, and received reduced pensions. You have shown moral character through trial by fire, and
5551-459: The considerable range in required skills and income among such occupations. Many members of the working class, as defined by academic models, are often identified in the vernacular as being middle-class , despite there being considerable ambiguity over the term's meaning. According to Frank Newport, "for some, working class is a more literal label; namely, an indication that one is working." Sociologists such as Dennis Gilbert and Joseph Kahl see
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#17327764808475642-481: The dangers of additives, exposés of the food industry, and public pressure led to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act , the first federal United States law to regulate food and drugs, including candy. Sugar candies include hard candies, soft candies, caramels , marshmallows , taffy , and other candies whose principal ingredient is sugar. Commercially, sugar candies are often divided into groups according to
5733-412: The dirt and germs. At the time, only upscale candy stores used glass jars. With advancements in technology, wax paper was adopted, and foil and cellophane were imported to the U.S. from France by DuPont in 1925. Necco packagers were one of the first companies to package without human touch. Kiosks and vending machines were introduced around the beginning of the 20th century. Candy packaging played
5824-419: The finished confection. Pastries can be elaborately decorated, or they can be plain dough. Doughnuts may be fried or baked. Scones and related sweet quick breads , such as bannock , are similar to baking powder biscuits and, in sweeter, less traditional interpretations, can seem like a cupcake . Cookies are small, sweet baked treats. They originated as small cakes, and some traditional cookies have
5915-427: The growth of dangerous microbes. Impermeable packaging can reduce spoilage due to storage conditions. Candies spoil more quickly if they have different amounts of water in different parts of the candy (for example, a candy that combines marshmallow and nougat), or if they are stored in high-moisture environments. This process is due to the effects of water activity , which results in the transfer of unwanted water from
6006-404: The idea of class cultures . Education, for example, can pose an especially intransigent barrier in the US, and not just because of gross educational inequality; culture plays some role as well. The middle class is often recognized in the US by educational attainment, which is correlated with ( but may not cause ) income and wealth, especially for white men. Members of the working class commonly have
6097-440: The idea that the middle-class parents who stress the values of self-control, curiosity, and consideration are cultivating capacities for self-direction... while working-class parents who focus on obedience, neatness, and good manners are instilling behavioral conformity. Other social scientists, such as Barbara Jensen, show that middle-class culture tends to be highly individualistic, while working-class culture tends to center around
6188-488: The members of all classes and that any statement pertaining to the cultural values of such large social groups needs to be seen as a broad generalization. Further, if the hypothesis that culture primarily produces class were true, such a non-dialectical, causal relationship pertains more validly in some low-social mobility societies. Scandinavian countries, by contrast, have discovered that removing structural barriers (and to some extent broadly valorizing working class culture)
6279-498: The mid-19th century, although these early claims were rarely true. Contamination by infectious agents such as virus or bacteria is unlikely through sweets, including unwrapped sweets. This is in part because bacteria can not replicate in the very dry and sweet environment of candy. Hard, round candies are a leading cause of choking deaths in children. Some types of candy, such as Lychee Mini Fruity Gels , have been associated with so many choking deaths that their import or manufacture
6370-543: The most important role in the production of sugar-based preparations. Medieval European physicians learned the medicinal uses of the material from the Arabs and Byzantine Greeks. One Middle Eastern remedy for rheums and fevers were little, twisted sticks of pulled sugar called in Arabic al fänäd or al pänäd . These became known in England as alphenics, or more commonly as penidia, penids, pennet or pan sugar. They were
6461-465: The most popular varieties of sugar confectionery . The occupation of confectioner encompasses the categories of cooking performed by both the French patissier (pastry chef) and the confiseur (sugar worker). The confectionery industry also includes specialized training schools and extensive historical records. Traditional confectionery goes back to ancient times and continued to be eaten through
6552-425: The mouth or are easily chewed; they include fondant and fudge. In 2022, flavorless candy was developed that was hard but not sweet. Chocolate is sometimes treated as a separate branch of confectionery. In this model, chocolate candies like chocolate candy bars and chocolate truffles are included. Hot chocolate or other cocoa-based drinks are excluded, as is candy made from white chocolate . When chocolate
6643-517: The mouth that demineralize the tooth enamel and can lead to dental caries. Heavy or frequent consumption of high-sugar foods, especially lollipops, sugary cough drops , and other sugar-based candies that stay in the mouth for a long time, increases the risk of tooth decay. Candies that also contain enamel-dissolving acids, such as acid drops , increase the risk. Cleaning the teeth and mouth shortly after eating any type of sugary food, and allowing several hours to pass between eating such foods, reduces
6734-431: The past for military use as a high-density food energy source. Many sugar confections, especially caramel-coated popcorn and the different kinds of sugar candy , are defined in US law as foods of minimal nutritional value . Contaminants and coloring agents in confectionery can be particularly harmful to children. Therefore, confectionery contaminants, such as high levels of lead , have been restricted to 1 ppm in
6825-408: The potential for food poisoning ; that is, old candy may not look appealing or taste very good, even though it is very unlikely to make the eater sick. Candy can be made unsafe by storing it badly, such as in a wet, moldy area. Typical recommendations are these: Most sugar candies are defined in US law as a food of minimal nutritional value . Even in a culture that eats sweets frequently, candy
6916-494: The precursors of barley sugar and modern cough drops . In 1390, the Earl of Derby paid "two shillings for two pounds of penydes. " As the non-medicinal applications of sugar developed, the comfitmaker, or confectioner gradually came into being as a separate trade. In the late medieval period the words confyt, comfect or cumfitt were generic terms for all kinds of sweetmeats made from fruits, roots, or flowers preserved with sugar. By
7007-616: The risk and improves oral health . However, frequent consumption of fruits and fruit juice, which contain both acid and sugars, may be a more significant factor in dental decay than candies. The link between candy and caries was formally identified through the Vipeholm experiments , where intellectually disabled people were fed copious amounts of candy and were found to develop poor dental health. The experiments are today considered to have violated multiple principles of medical ethics . Most candy, particularly low-fat and fat-free candy, has
7098-444: The sense of "the art and business of a confectioner" is first recorded in 1743, and the earliest use in the sense of a "confectioner's shop" dates to 1803. Before sugar was readily available in the ancient western world, confectionery was based on honey . Honey was used in Ancient China , Ancient India , Ancient Egypt , Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome to coat fruits and flowers to preserve them or to create sweetmeats. Between
7189-440: The start of the 20th century, when undernutrition was a serious problem, especially among poor and working-class people, and when nutrition science was a new field, the high calorie content was promoted as a virtue. Researchers suggested that candy, especially candy made with milk and nuts, was a low-cost alternative to normal meals. To get the food energy necessary for a day of labor, candy might cost half as much as eggs. During
7280-467: The subjection of society to the brute force of the market." As such, he argues this made the United States an outlier with economic inequality hitting "unprecedented levels for the rich democracies." While outsourcing , the busting and decline of unionization and welfare supports, the rise of immigration, the prison-industrial complex , and unemployment have brought increased competition and considerable economic insecurity to working-class employees in
7371-492: The success or failure of Democratic candidates. It was solidly Democratic during the New Deal but its support of Democratic candidates has steadily eroded to about 50%. It is also diminishing as a portion of the electorate, both due to increased educational opportunities and because whites make up a declining share of the electorate overall. Reagan Democrats describes the segment of the white working class which forms part of
7462-522: The surface of the pan was also much more evenly distributed and made it less likely the sugar would burn. These innovations made it possible for only one or two people to successfully run a candy business. As the path from producer to market became increasingly complicated, many foods were affected by adulteration and the addition of additives which ranged from relatively harmless ingredients, such as cheap cornstarch and corn syrup , to poisonous ones. Some manufacturers produced bright colors in candy by
7553-522: 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
7644-567: The use of these colorants, especially for products marketed to children. Working class in the United States In the United States, the concept of a working class remains vaguely defined, and classifying people or jobs into this class can be contentious. Economists and pollsters in the United States generally define "working class" adults as those lacking a college degree, rather than by occupation or income. Other definitions refer to those in blue-collar occupations, despite
7735-460: The very wealthy. Even the simplest form of candy – rock candy , made from crystallized sugar – was considered a luxury. The candy business underwent a drastic change in the 1830s when technological advances and the availability of sugar opened up the market. The new market was not only for the enjoyment of the rich but also for the pleasure of the working class. There was also an increasing market for children. While some fine confectioners remained,
7826-440: The word cake in their names, such as cheesecake , are not technically cakes, while others, such as Boston cream pie are cakes despite seeming to be named something else. Pastry is a large and diverse category of baked goods, united by the flour-based doughs used as the base for the product. These doughs are not always sweet, and the sweetness may come from the sugar, fruit, chocolate, cream, or other fillings that are added to
7917-420: The working class as the most populous in the United States, while other sociologists such as William Thompson, Joseph Hickey and James Henslin deem the lower middle class slightly more populous. In the class models devised by these sociologists, the working class comprises between 30% and 35% of the population, roughly the same percentages as the lower middle class. According to the class model by Dennis Gilbert,
8008-444: The working class comprises those between the 25th and 55th percentile of society. In 2018, 31% of Americans described themselves as working class. Retired American adults are less likely to describe themselves as "working class", regardless of the actual income or education level of the adult. Since the 1970s, economic and occupational insecurity has become a major problem for American workers, their families, and their communities, to
8099-639: Was confectionarius , and it was in this sort of sugar work that the activities of the two trades overlapped and that the word "confectionery" originated. In the cuisine of the Late Ottoman Empire diverse cosmopolitan cultural influences were reflected in published recipes such as European-style molded jellies flavored with cordials. In Europe, Ottoman confections (especially "lumps of delight" ( Turkish delight ) became very fashionable among European and British high society. An important study of Ottoman confectionery called Conditorei des Orients
8190-399: Was made with cloves , ginger, aniseed , juniper berries , almonds and pine kernels dipped in melted sugar. The Middle English word candy began to be used in the late 13th century. The first candy came to America during the early 18th century from Britain and France . Only a few of the early colonists were proficient in sugar work and sugary treats were generally only enjoyed by
8281-480: Was published by the royal confectioner Friedrich Unger in 1838. The first confectionery in Manchester, England was opened by Elizabeth Raffald who had worked six years in domestic service as a housekeeper. Confections are defined by the presence of sweeteners. These are usually sugars, but it is possible to buy sugar-free candies, such as sugar-free peppermints . The most common sweetener for home cooking
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