Last Updated on July 9, 2022 by
The most popular sweet dessert worldwide is chocolate. It is well recognized for its high antioxidant content, which lowers the risk of heart disease, counteracts the negative effects of stress, slows aging, and offers many other advantages. So, if you’ve ever discovered chocolate that has been forgotten in your baking pantry, you may be wondering whether does chocolate go bad?
Whatever the kind, chocolate does not last a lifetime. Melting chocolate has a two-year shelf life if it is unopened. It must be used within a year if it has been opened. Don’t worry if you are still concerned about how long chocolate will last. We’ll go into more information about the subject in this piece. Continue reading below for more information about your favorite sweet treat and some extra ideas.
How Long Does Chocolate Last?
The type of chocolate will determine the answer to this question. You should keep in mind that black chocolate often lasts longer than milk or white chocolate. Dark chocolate should be good for at least two years in an unopened container, while white and milk chocolate should last for a year. Dark chocolate should remain in excellent condition after being opened for a year, whereas milk and white chocolate may last for 8 to 10 months.
When it comes to extending the shelf life of chocolate, storage is crucial. Chocolate will stay longer if you keep it in a somewhat cold location, like the pantry. Unless you live in a very hot and humid climate, keeping chocolate in the refrigerator is not a good idea. Always keep the chocolate well wrapped while storing it after opening the packaging.
There is one additional item to consider when it comes to keeping chocolate. Chocolate might form a white or gray coating if it wasn’t kept correctly, which means it was stored in a hot or humid environment. This film, which is called “Chocolate Blossom,” is safe. The separation of sugar or cocoa butter from the chocolate results in the film. However, the flavor of the chocolate may change. As a result, it’s still safe to consume.
How To Tell If Chocolate Is Bad
The flavonoids in chocolate shield the lipids from oxidation, and it contains very little to no water. As a result, chocolate is resistant to deterioration. If properly stored, it may often last for years while maintaining a good flavor.
Like many other goods, chocolate loses quality with time. A bar that is 5 years old won’t be nearly as good as a new one. It’s acceptable if your bar has some grey streaks or the chocolate has become white or gray. That is referred to as chocolate bloom, and it has no negative effects on food safety. It is harmless even if it is unsightly, and there isn’t a good method to get rid of it.
It’s a “sugar bloom” if you can see crystals developing on the surface, and it’s completely safe. Blooming chocolate is still safe to eat, but its quality has been somewhat altered, and you’ll probably taste the difference. Lastly, throw the chocolate away if there is anything green or moldy on the surface. Mold is most usually a sign that moisture contacted the treat.
How To Store Chocolate Properly
First, remember that the “best before” date on your chocolate isn’t an expiration date but rather a general prediction of when it could start to taste bad. If your chocolate has gone bad, it will depend on how much taste loss you can tolerate. But the good news is that preserving chocolate will be a breeze if you adhere to a few recommended practices.
In general, you should keep chocolate out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry environment since heat and moisture are bad for chocolate (i.e., your cold, the wet fridge is not ideal). After being opened, plain chocolate has a shelf life of 6 to 12 months; however, properly preserved refrigerator storage might extend this time by a few months. Chocolate chips, for example, may be placed in a sealed container and frozen for an even longer shelf life.
Just keep in mind to thaw out any frozen or chilled sweets before using them in recipes or eating them since the taste receptors are negatively impacted by frigid temperatures (and recipes). That is a straightforward response, and it will work for most individuals. However, if you’re a food nerd like me and interested in almost everything culinary, continue reading.
Why Is Storing Chocolate In The Fridge Bad?
Hundreds of different molecules influence the taste of chocolate, and the consistency and structure are maintained through various chemical interactions. Heat and humidity should be avoided since they both undermine the stability of this framework. My suggested general location is the bottom shelf of the pantry or the rear of a kitchen cabinet. Like honey, good chocolate will essentially last for as long as it is kept correctly.
If done incorrectly, placing chocolate in the refrigerator will damage the stability of whatever paper packaging it came in and the exterior layer of the chocolate with moisture on the bar, weakening and spoiling the melt of the chocolate. The optimal temperature for chocolate storage is 55-68F (13-20C), which is the same as the temperature maintained in most contemporary houses and much higher than a refrigerator’s temperature. Therefore, using the refrigerator should only be the last choice, such as if your home is unusually warm (over 75F/24C).
Beyond temperature, the items in your fridge with the strongest aromas will be the greatest offenders of destroying your bar. Consider marinades, cheeses, and garlic since these flavors contaminate your sweets and make them taste more like meat than a delight. Additionally, water-based drinks and chocolate don’t combine well. Consider the last time you prepared hot chocolate by putting the chocolate in first and then adding the hot milk. Although it was squishy and thick, but it didn’t melt.
Making hot chocolate successfully requires progressively thinning the melted chocolate with milk or water. However, use low-quality chocolate or items that have been kept in your refrigerator. Your particular fridge flavor may swiftly change the aroma and flavor of your chocolate, even if it is just overnight. For this reason, it’s crucial to consider the chocolate’s packaging while placing it into storage.
Before storing most sweets in the refrigerator, remove them from their original wrapping and put them in glass Tupperware with some dry paper towels. This is also a smart move if you want to keep a bar for a very long time (more than a year), and it applies to all types of chocolate, from the upscale bar you bought overseas to the Snickers bar from the local convenience shop (yeah, okay, Snickers can count as candy-chocolate). Gourmet truffles or bonbons won’t last for more than two weeks and may be an even shorter time, depending on the contents.
Your chocolate’s fat structure is destroyed by abrupt temperature fluctuations, which destabilize it by altering the sort of crystal that develops. Refrigeration ensures that your chocolate will ultimately “bloom,” ruining the texture when consumed and maybe preventing it from melting properly at room temperature. So, before eating your chocolate, let it remain at room temperature for a few hours if you decide to refrigerate it.
Do You Need to Refrigerate Melting Chocolate?
What do you do with the extra chocolate after you’ve tempered it and adorned all of your cookies? Once the chocolate has hardened, you may peel it or cut it up, then put it in a sealed container and put it in the fridge. Ensure the bag is well closed to keep your chocolate safe from pollutants and fridge smells.
Don’t throw away that priceless chocolate! It may be used in various recipes for ice cream, scones, pancakes, and more. Another piece of advice is to avoid letting your chocolate set in the bowl since doing so will make it more challenging to remove afterward. Pour it on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet after it cools down. Once it has entirely cooled, it will be simple to slice up.
What’s That White Stuff On My Chocolate?
Have you ever discovered an old bar of chocolate with a surface that is a chalky white color? Or maybe something that resembles gray dust? Not to worry! This is a common occurrence, and the phenomenon is even named chocolate bloom. The good news is that the chocolate hasn’t spoiled due to this. Bloom comes in two flavors: fat bloom and sugar bloom.
When the temperature of the chocolate fluctuates unevenly, a fat bloom occurs, leaving a white coating on the surface. When chocolate is exposed to moisture, sugar bloom occurs, forming sugar crystals that resemble grit. Although it won’t have the same mouthwatering flavor or texture as fresh chocolate, bloomed chocolate is still safe to consume. Try using it for baking instead; your cookies won’t vary!
Conclusion On Does Chocolate Go Bad
As you can see, the main question, “Can chocolate go bad?” is a yes. Most of the time, chocolate is OK after its “Best By” or “Use by” dates, although this doesn’t always hold. It will ultimately go bad after some time (even a few years if kept in a cool location).
