The Ju Ju Bean Mystery: How a Dental-Defying Theater Candy Became a Cult Obsession
Q1: What is the main difference between a ju ju bean and a modern jelly bean?
A1: A traditional ju ju bean lacks the hard, panned sugar shell found on standard jelly beans. It features a solid, uniform interior made from a cooked starch-and-gelatin mixture that cures into a dense, translucent, and rubbery bite, whereas jelly beans offer a crisp shell over a soft gel.
Q2: Why did ju ju candies have such a reputation for damaging dental work?
A2: The formula relies on high-cooked cornstarch cured over several days to remove moisture. When chewed, this dehydrated starch matrix mixes with saliva to form an intensely sticky, elastic paste capable of dislodging loose fillings, crowns, and orthodontic brackets.
Q3: Are ju ju beans, Jujubes, and Jujyfruits the same candy?
A3: They belong to the same product family but differ in shape and texture. Traditional Jujubes are smaller, firmer, and drop-shaped, intended to be dissolved slowly. Jujyfruits are larger, softer, fruit-shaped chews. The ju ju bean term generally refers to bean-molded variations produced under the historic starch-cure technique.
Q4: Do original-recipe ju ju candies still exist today?
A4: Ferrara Candy Company continues to manufacture heritage lines like Jujyfruits and Jujubes in classic theater boxes. However, the formulations have been softened slightly compared to the ultra-hard nineteenth-century originals to suit modern consumer preferences.
