It might not surprise you that Halloween is number 1 in the United States. 1 Candy Selling Party, But What May Surprise Is How Much Money Americans Spend Halloween candy every year.

According to a National Retail Federation Consumer Surveytrick-or-treaters were expected to net up to $3.5 billion in Halloween candy this year. Anyone who partakes in trick-or-treating knows that despite how much candy we can eat in a night, there always seems to be leftover candy in our homes — and yes, that Halloween candy can actually expire.

So now that Halloween is over, we spoke with an expert to find out everything there is to know about candy shelf life.

Does candy expire?

Yes, but not in the same way as perishable foods like eggs, chicken And produce TO DO. When a candy deteriorates, it is “almost always a physical change (drying out) or a chemical change (lipid oxidation, change in flavor) and not a microbial one.” Richard W. Hartelprofessor of food science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says.

This means that even though candy technically expires, it’s unlikely to make you sick if you indulge in a few candies that are past their expiration date.

“Eating old candy may not be the most pleasant experience, but overall it won’t cause any adverse health effects,” said Hartel, who is also editor-in-chief of the IFT. Journal of Food Science said.

Do different types of candy last longer than others?

Yes, but a lot of it depends on how each type of candy is stored. Although chocolate will keep for about a year if stored at a cool temperature and low humidity, according to Hartel, hard candies can last much longer.

“Hard candy, as long as it is protected from heat and humidity, can last for several years with little or no change,” says Hartel.

However, if hard candies are “exposed to hot temperatures and high humidity, they absorb moisture from the air,” he adds. “This can cause a variety of changes, from stickiness to crystallization and loss of flavor, depending on the formulation.”

Chocolate generally needs to be stored at cool temperatures and can be frozen. As chocolate ages, it may start to look dusty. This is called chocolate bloom.

“This is not microbial growth, but simply recrystallization of the cocoa butter on the surface of the chocolate,” explains Hartel. “This is primarily a visual issue, although excessive blooming also impairs flavor release and enjoyment. Again, blooming chocolate is not dangerous to eat, it’s just that the chocolate won’t be as delicious as it originally was.”

Should you throw away old Halloween candy?

Not necessarily. This is more of a personal choice than a health issue and the answers vary from person to person. It’s up to you to decide whether your candy corn or caramel is too difficult to eat, or whether the chocolate coating makes it more appealing to you.

“Different people have different thresholds, but several months would usually be enough,” says Hartel.

How to store candy

To keep your candy at its full flavor, do not store it in a very humid or hot place.

“For most candies, cool temperatures and moderate humidity work best,” says Hartel. “If the humidity is too high, the candy may absorb moisture and become sticky, but if it is too dry, the candy will lose moisture and harden quickly.”