You might end up with some extra Halloween candy this year, but how long is it good for? Dr. Abigail Snyder, with the food science department at Cornell University, says bags of candy are usually marked with a “best buy” date, but it’s “really just a recommendation by the producer to the consumer about how quickly the product should be eaten for optimum quality.” She adds, “There is no safety implication for eating gummy bears or candy corn after that date has elapsed.” Snyder says consumers can evaluate each piece of candy to see if it’s something they want to eat, saying, “Consumers might start to notice changes in flavor or texture over time, such as staling or the white bloom that appears on old chocolate. These are not representative of food safety issues, just quality deterioration.” It turns out candy is generally shelf-stable, so use your own discretion about eating it, especially if it starts tasting stale or bland or the textures begin to change