Candy and Chocolate Confections, Federal Specification Z-C-2104, is a document that defines and outlines requirements for candy and chocolates that the United States federal government may use, and further defines the conditions under which a new type of candy may be found suitable for use by government agencies. Specification Z-C-2104 was first enacted in 1979 by the Federal Supply Service, part of the Federal Acquisition Service, which in turn is part of the General Services Administration.
Section 1 of the Specification defines candies as falling into one of eight Types; candies are further grouped by distinctive features within each Type. Candies are additionally classified in one of five styles, which include bars, rolls, disks, pieces, and bags.
Section 2 of the Specification contains an extensive list of references to other federal regulations that may apply to candy. Such documents include, for example, Federal Specification L-C-110 (now depreciated), which specified the type of cellophane that may be used for preservative use. Other cross-referenced documents include Federal standards on food packaging, military specifications on labeling, United States Department of Agriculture requirements on quality of food items, and so forth.
Section 3 of the Specifications define, in great detail, the process by which applicants may bid for candy supply contracts. Forty-five sub-subsections describe requirements for ingredients, quality, appearance, and dimensions of proposed candy.