Is Candy Corn Actually Gluten-Free? What About Dairy-Free?

Whether you love it or hate it, candy corn (and its mysterious flavor) has been synonymous with Halloween for as long as we can remember. But what exactly is it made of, and is it gluten- and dairy-free? It turns out that this confection that almost never tastes like corn is made mostly with sugar and corn syrup. What gives the candy its shape is a binder, such as gelatin, so it typically doesn't contain any gluten. 

Still, before buying that bag of candy corn, always check the ingredients on the label. You want to look out for ingredients like rye, wheat, barley, and other grains that contain gluten. There are many foods you probably think are gluten-free but aren't, so it's always best to check thoroughly.

With that said, even when a product doesn't contain any gluten, cross-contamination can still happen. In the factories that make, package, and process candy corn, wheat and other ingredients with gluten can be present. To make sure a food is truly gluten-free, check the packaging for a gluten-free label. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that any food labeled gluten-free contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. For extra peace of mind, you can look for a third-party certification seal, like the one from the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, which requires certified gluten-free products to contain 10 ppm of gluten or less.

Now that we know candy corn doesn't typically contain gluten, what about dairy? It turns out that most classic candy corn is also dairy-free, meaning it's made without milk, butter, or cream. It's worth noting that the FDA does not regulate whether a food product is dairy-free or not. That said, milk is one of the major food allergens which federal law requires food labels to clearly declare. Thus, if the candy corn you're buying contains any milk at all, you should be able to find it clearly labeled on the packaging.  

Being dairy-free doesn't make candy corn a vegan product, though. As we mentioned, one of candy corn's common binding agents is gelatin, which is made from collagen, an animal byproduct. Eggs are also commonly used as a binder for candy corn, and honey is sometimes used as a sweetener, which is something strict vegans will want to take note of.

So, for people with food sensitivities and allergies it's best to thoroughly check the labels, but rest assured that candy corn as we know it is typically both gluten-free and dairy-free. But why not consider making your own Halloween candy this year? For example, you can easily turn maple syrup into candy.