Chocolate is best bought and eaten fresh. Do not consume expired chocolate.
Chocolate is best bought and eaten fresh. When purchasing, pay attention not only to the production date but also try to minimize the storage time. The optimal temperature for storing chocolate is 5°C—18°C. In summer, if the room temperature is too high, it is best to seal it in a plastic bag before storing it in the refrigerator's chiller compartment. When taking it out, do not open it immediately. Let it warm up slowly and open it for consumption when it is close to room temperature. In winter, if the indoor temperature is below 20°C, it can be stored in a cool, ventilated place.
Wang Xingguo, Vice Chairman of the Oils and Fats Branch of the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association: Chocolate can be divided into two categories: pure chocolate and compound chocolate made with cocoa butter substitutes (including refined oils, vegetable oils, etc.). If chocolate is stored for too long, just like oil becoming rancid, it will lead to an increase in peroxide value. Peroxide value is an indicator reflecting the degree of oxidation of lipids in food. Once it exceeds the standard, it will directly affect the quality of the food. If this situation occurs, it often requires professional equipment to detect, and it is difficult for ordinary people to judge from the appearance. Consuming chocolate with a peroxide value that exceeds the standard can cause significant harm to the human body, such as causing gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, and damaging the liver.
Generally, the shelf life of ordinary chocolate is about one year, but the time may vary depending on the ingredients. Especially for chocolate products with added fresh milk (or high milk content) or hazelnuts, due to their high unsaturated fatty acid content, nuts are easily oxidized by air, which relatively shortens the storage time of chocolate. Therefore, fresh milk or nut chocolate requires more attention to storage, otherwise it is easy to spoil.
There is also a common situation where some chocolate, although not expired, develops a white film on the surface. This is mostly caused by improper storage. If the storage environment is humid, the sugar in the chocolate is easily dissolved by surface moisture. After the moisture evaporates, sugar crystals are left behind. Even if the chocolate is in sealed packaging, moisture can still seep in from the folds or edges of the outer packaging, covering its surface with a thin layer of grayish-white sugar frost. In addition, cocoa butter crystals can dissolve and seep to the surface of the chocolate to recrystallize, causing the chocolate to bloom. Chocolate with a frosted surface is still edible. Although it will lose its original rich flavor and texture, it is not harmful to human health.
Finally, a reminder: chocolate is best bought and eaten fresh. When purchasing, pay attention not only to the production date but also try to minimize the storage time. The optimal temperature for storing chocolate is 5°C—18°C. In summer, if the room temperature is too high, it is best to seal it in a plastic bag before storing it in the refrigerator's chiller compartment. When taking it out, do not open it immediately. Let it warm up slowly and open it for consumption when it is close to room temperature. In winter, if the indoor temperature is below 20°C, it can be stored in a cool, ventilated place.