[:it]Il cioccolato scade? Tutto quello che devi sapere e come conservarlo[:]

Does chocolate expire? How to tell if chocolate is bad? How to keep it? We answer these and other questions.

How many times will you understand to ask yourself “but does the chocolate expire?”. True, often when we buy a good chocolate bar it hardly lasts so long that we can really ask ourselves this question. However, a bar can accidentally end up at the bottom of the pantry and when you find it you are not always sure how long it has been there. And it is at that precise moment that you ask yourself: can chocolate go bad?

Does chocolate go bad?

It is good to clarify that chocolate is considered a non-perishable food, which means that it does not expire and does not go bad. However, very old chocolate, while probably still safe to eat, will retain very little of its original flavor. As with all products, the quality of the chocolate is destined to decrease over time; the “duration” is determined by the method of preservation, by the storage temperature, by the state of the package (sealed, opened), but also by the type of chocolate. The general rule, however, is that the older the chocolate, the more it loses its flavor.

How to store chocolate

So how to store chocolate? Here are some suggestions: keep the chocolate in a dry and cool place (the ideal temperature is 12/15 degrees); Cocoa butter absorbs odors so do not store chocolate near foods with strong smells; If it is too hot and you want to keep the chocolate in the refrigerator, keep it in an airtight container.

What is the white surface on chocolate?

If you have ever noticed a white patina on the chocolate, know that we are talking about “fat bloom”. This does not mean that chocolate cannot be eaten, of course its flavor will not be optimal but it can still be used especially in the preparation of recipes. Traces of greasy bloom are easily eliminated: just melt the chocolate in a mold and let it cool.

How to tell if the chocolate has gone bad

There is no proven way to tell if your chocolate has gone bad. Generally speaking, if the chocolate smells good and tastes good, then it is still good.