Candy corn is a Halloween and fall icon, and the folks who make the candy claim the multi-colored confection has three distinct and unexpected flavors.

A Jelly Belly Candy Company spokesperson stated: "The actual flavor of Jelly Belly's Candy Corn is a wonderful blend of creamy fondant, rich marshmallow, and warm vanilla notes.”

Both fondant and marshmallow are made with sugar and corn syrup (plus water and gelatin for the marshmallows), which explains why many people equate the candy with pure sugar.

The spokesperson added that the texture is as important as the flavor and should be as soft as butter, never crumbly. 

This probably won't convince those who loathe candy corn to indulge, but candy makers won’t lose sleep over that, as about 35 million pounds of candy corn are sold yearly.