Can chocolate go bad?
Have you ever seen "spoiled" chocolate? It's hard to believe that chocolate can sit and go uneaten. In this article we will explain to you whether chocolate can go bad at all.
How long does chocolate keep?
Chocolate bars have a shelf life of around 12-24 months. The exact durability depends on the sugar content, correct storage and the variety. Sugar acts as a kind of “preservative”. The more sugar in the Chocolate is included, the longer it usually has a shelf life. Chocolate should always be stored airtight, dry and cool. The optimum is at temperatures between 12 °C and 18 °C.
The cocoa content is of crucial importance for the types of chocolate. The higher the cocoa content, the longer you can store the bars. This results in something like:
- White chocolate: shelf life of around 1 year
- Whole milk chocolate: approx. 1.5 years shelf life
- Dark chocolate: has a shelf life of around 2 years
If the use-by date has passed, that does not immediately mean that food is no longer ...
What happens if I eat expired chocolate?
As with other foodstuffs, an expired best-before date is not to be equated with the spoilage of a product. In the case of chocolate, too, the best-before date is only a guarantee from the manufacturer that the product quality has not changed by then. After the best-before date, the chocolate will probably have a crackly consistency and will have lost its aroma and taste. You don't have to have any health concerns when eating it.
Even discoloration does not have to be an indication of spoilage. A gray-greenish film on the product is usually a sugar bloom made of sugar crystals. A white film on the surface is caused by flocculated cocoa butter. If you are unsure, trust your sense of smell and taste and take a small sample. Even with the low probability of mold growth, you have nothing to worry about health-wise as long as you don't snack on the whole bar.
Why does chocolate keep for so long?
Chocolate usually has a very low water content. This makes it difficult for bacteria and other pests to multiply in the product. In the case of varieties with fruit or liquid fillings, on the other hand, mold growth is not unlikely after a certain period of time.
Chocolate can spoil and go bad. Incorrect storage in particular promotes spoilage of chocolate. Nevertheless, the fitness for consumption of chocolate is several years. However, there are varieties that are more prone to spoilage than others.