Is there a possibility of putting the Atomic Fireball on a Stick?
Where does the "Ferrara Pan" name come from?
What purpose does Sucrose serve in your product?

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Q: Is there a possibility of putting the Atomic Fireball on a Stick?
A:That is a great idea.  Unfortunately, due to the method of manufacturing, it would be impossible to insert a stick into the candy pieces.  The Atomic Fireball is a panned candy.  This process involves building candy pieces from single units, such as grains of sugar, nuts, or candy centers, tossing them in revolving pans while adding the flavor, color and other candy ingredients.  This process continues until the pieces become the size desired.  Finally, the candy gets a high polish with an edible vegetable wax, which gives it an attractive appearance.  You can view this process on our virtual tour of "How Atomic Fireballs are Made". 

Q:Where does the "Ferrara Pan" name come from?
A:"Ferrara" is the last name of the family who started the business.  Salvatore Ferrara, was a pastrymaker who came to America from Nola, Italy in 1900.  The Ferrara Pan Candy Company was then founded in 1908 in Chicago, Illinois.  After eight years Salvatore Ferrara saved enough money to open a pastry shop.  Here, multicolored sugarcoated almonds, which the Italians call "confetti", were manufactured.  These and other confections were in such demand that he set up a separate company to make them.  This company soon outgrew its quarters and moved to Forest Park, a suburb on the West Side of Chicago, where it is still located and still family owned and managed.

The word "pan" in the company name indicates that some of the candy we make is "panned".  This process involves building candy pieces from single units, such as grains of sugar, nuts, or candy centers, transferring them into revolving pans while adding the flavor, color and other candy ingredients.  This process continues until the pieces become the size desired. Finally, the candy gets a high polish with a vegetable wax, which gives the candy an attractive appearance.  You can view this process on our virtual tours of "How Panned Candy is Made".

Q:Our chemistry instructor requested that we research an ingredient currently used in a consumer product.  I like your product so it was easy to choose your "Lemonhead".  I chose the ingredient "Sucrose" to research.  Could you please answer briefly the following questions:

1.What purpose does "sucrose" serve in your product?

"Sucrose" serves as a sweetener and a bulking agent. Another name for "sucrose" is table sugar.

2.Is there an alternative ingredient you might have chosen?

There are two other alternatives to "sucrose." The first being artificial sweeteners, which could be used to make a sugar free Lemonhead. This will not be as sweet as sugar and sometimes may cause digestive problems. Dextrose, is also another possibility, however, it will harden the texture and have a cooling effect on the flavor. Dextrose cannot be used with sugar ("sucrose").

3.Did this choice prove challenging to use in the candy making process?

This choice did not prove challenging, as "sucrose" and corn syrup combined are traditionally used throughout the candy industry.