White Rabbit (candy) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Rabbit |
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A tin of White Rabbit Creamy Candy
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| Chinese | 大白兔奶糖 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "big white rabbit milk candy" | ||||||||||||||||||||
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White Rabbit Creamy Candy is a famous milk candy from China. It is made by Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food, Ltd. This candy is a well-known cultural symbol in China. It has been made since 1943.
Contents
What is White Rabbit Candy?
White Rabbit candies are soft and chewy. They are white and taste like milk. Each candy is a small rectangle, about 3 by 1 centimeters. They are similar to taffy candy.
How is it wrapped?
Each candy comes in two wrappers. The outer wrapper is made of printed waxed paper. Inside this, there is a thin, edible wrapper. This inner wrapper is made from sticky rice. You can eat this rice paper wrapper along with the candy!
What are the ingredients?
The edible rice paper is made from starch, water, and glycerin monostearate. The candy itself contains liquid maltose, white sugar, whole milk powder, and butter. It also has food additives like gelatin and vanillin. Other ingredients include corn starch, syrup, and milk. Each candy has about 20 calories.
What flavors are there?
The first White Rabbit candy was vanilla flavored. Over the years, many new flavors have been added. You can find chocolate, coffee, and toffee. There are also peanut, maize, and coconut flavors. Other fruit flavors include lychee, strawberry, and mango. You can even find red bean, yogurt, and matcha flavors! A special butter-plum flavor is also popular in China.
The Story of White Rabbit Candy
White Rabbit candy started in Shanghai in 1943. A candy maker from the ABC Candy Factory tried a milk candy from England. He liked it so much that he wanted to make his own. After six months, he created a new milk candy.
Early packaging
The first candies from ABC were called ABC Mickey Mouse Sweets. They had a red Mickey Mouse picture on the wrapper. These candies were cheaper than imported ones. Because of this, they became very popular.
The rabbit logo
In the 1950s, the ABC factory became owned by the government. The Mickey Mouse design was changed. People thought Mickey Mouse looked too foreign. So, the new wrapper showed a white rabbit jumping. It also had an artist's paint palette. The colors were red, blue, and black on a white background. This new design became very famous.
Over time, the rabbit logo changed a bit. The first rabbit on the wrapper was lying down. Later, it was changed to a jumping rabbit. Today, the rabbit on the outer wrapper has big, friendly eyes. It looks a bit like a cartoon character. But the inner wrapper still has the classic, older rabbit design.
Gifts and popularity
At first, only about 800 kilograms of candy were made each day. The candies were made by hand. In 1959, White Rabbit candies were given as gifts for China's 10th National Day. In 1972, a Chinese leader named Zhou Enlai gave them to U.S. President Richard Nixon. This happened when President Nixon visited China. Today, White Rabbit candy is one of China's most popular sweets.
The candy was once advertised with a slogan. It said, "Seven White Rabbit candies is like one cup of milk." This made people think it was a healthy snack. Many students in China even tried to dissolve the candies in hot water. They thought they were making "hot milk"!
White Rabbit candy has become popular all over the world. Its sales have grown a lot, especially during Chinese New Year. Many families offer these sweets to visitors. In 2004, sales reached 600 million yuan. The candy is now sold in over 40 countries. These include the United States, Europe, and Singapore. In 2017, an ice cream shop in Canada even made an ice cream flavor using White Rabbit candy!
The company that makes White Rabbit candy is Guan Sheng Yuan (Group) Co., Ltd. The candy is sold in the United States by Queensway Foods.
Product Safety and Changes
Like many food products, White Rabbit candy has faced some safety checks.
Safety concerns in 2007
In 2007, some countries had concerns about White Rabbit candy. The Philippines and Indonesia found a chemical called formalin in some candies. This led to recalls of the candy in those places. However, the company said that fake candies might have caused the problem. Tests done by an independent company in Shanghai showed their candies were safe. Singapore also tested the candy and said it was safe to eat.
Safety concerns in 2008
In 2008, there was a big issue with milk products in China. Some dairy products were found to have a chemical called melamine. This chemical is not safe to eat. White Rabbit Creamy Candy was one of the products affected. Because of this, many stores around the world removed the candy from their shelves. Countries like the UK, Australia, and the United States issued warnings.
Experts calculated that an adult would have to eat many candies every day to be at risk. Still, the company worked hard to make sure their products were safe.
Golden Rabbit Candy
After the safety concerns in 2008, White Rabbit candy made a comeback. When it started being exported again in 2009, it was sometimes called "Golden Rabbit Creamy Candy." This new name helped to show that the candy was safe. The Golden Rabbit candy uses milk from Australia. The original White Rabbit candy also uses milk from New Zealand.
Images for kids
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A tin of White Rabbit Creamy Candy
See also
In Spanish: White Rabbit (golosina) para niños
