Cool link. Thanks.

No disrespect, but sugar doesn't cause acne. That's an old wive's tale.

Actually sugar one of the few foods that has an infinite shelflife. Bacteria can only handle sugar with relatively high water content. Sugar has been used as a preservative for thousands of years.

I once left a fried pie in the glovebox of my motorhome. I found it about a year later. Although in a dehydrated condition, it tasted fine.

From "Food and Cooking"

"Cells (bacterial or otherwise) can only prevent osmosis across their membranes to a limited extent. When a solution is concentrated enough (i.e. hypertonic), it can dessicate the cells, therefore retarding microbial growth and rendering potential pathogens inert .

Some examples of sugar-based preservatives include various syrups (i.e. maple), honey, and fruit preserves (jams). In particular it is useful to note that jam does not require raising temperatures above 104C to kill botulinum spores; although most operations will pasteurize the stock to kill fungal spores which may grow on the top layer of the jam due to recondensed water)."

I always refrigerated my pies

Just to keep them tasting fresh!!!!