Chocolate and chocolates are a favorite and healthy delicacy that is served in many families not only on holidays, but also on ordinary weekdays. In addition, chocolates are not only a dessert for family tea drinking, but also a universal gift for all occasions.
Many of us, when buying confectionery products, do not think about its composition and make an intuitive choice, reacting to bright labels, beautiful boxes and catchy inscriptions. Although it is precisely on the information contained on the wrapper, you need to pay special attention. After all, the shelf life of chocolates is an important characteristic that affects not only taste, but also the physical condition of a person.
How the composition affects the storage of chocolate
The shelf life of chocolates is set depending on the products included in their composition. Of the ingredients present in chocolate confectionery, the shortest time for safe consumption is fats, it is their breakdown that leads to the accumulation of concentrates, causing a deterioration in human health.
To reduce the shelf life, depending on the type of candy, they are arranged as follows:
- Candy made of dark chocolate - from 1 to 2 years.
- From unsweetened dark chocolate - from 10 to 12 months.
- From milk chocolate - from 6 to 10 months.
- Glazed sweets in a wrapper - up to 4 months.
- Assorted - up to 2 months.
- White chocolate sweets - no longer than a month.
The shelf life of chocolates is significantly reduced when such additives as peanuts, hazelnuts, hazelnuts, and various fillings are included in their composition. If there are inclusions of candy should be consumed no later than three months from the date of manufacture.
Weighted sweets
Everything is clear with products in company packaging from the manufacturer, but how do you determine the shelf life of chocolates by weight? With this, things are more complicated, because the shelf life of weighted goods is indicated only on the box. There are few options: either ask the seller, who is obliged to provide you with all the necessary information, or open a candy and independently evaluate the quality.
Product Quality Indicators
- Quality sweets have a shiny, smooth and even surface, without sagging or streaks.
- The filling is homogeneous, without sugar crystals falling out .
- The aroma should be pronounced, without extraneous odors.
Possible defects
- A whitish coating occurs due to improper storage conditions.
- The lack of gloss, surface wetting occurs due to improper storage.
Candy in a box
With packaged products, everything is much simpler. The shelf life of chocolates in the box is indicated by the manufacturer. Typically, such kits have a shelf life of 9 months to one year.
How to store chocolate products
Despite the shelf life of chocolates, it is important to create the correct storage conditions to preserve their taste and nutritional value.
Storage space
Chocolate candies should be stored in a dark, dry place. Chocolate absorbs smells well , so it is advisable to keep sweets from it away from spices and tea, in hermetically sealed boxes, especially for products without a wrapper. A refrigerator is also not the best place to store goodies; most of all, a cupboard or cabinet is suitable for these purposes.
Optimum temperature
For chocolate candies, a temperature of 16-20 ° C is best suited. At a higher temperature, the glaze begins to melt, and at a lower temperature cocoa butter comes out and sweets are covered with a "gray" coating. Such a product is not considered harmful, but its taste is noticeably reduced.
Expired or not?
It often happens that doubts are not caused by the expiration date of chocolates, but by a white coating on their surface. The formation of such a raid occurs for harmless reasons. So, cocoa butter appears on the surface of the product, this is due to a temperature drop or high humidity. Such a sign can even be called a sign indicating the naturalness of the product, since sweets with non-useful palm oil never turn pale.
The consequences of using expired chocolate
More recently, chocolate and sweets from it were included in the list of products that can be eaten after the expiration date. According to members of the organization for the protection of natural resources, expired chocolate becomes less tasty, but does not harm health and can be eaten six months after the expiration date. That is, if you ate several “unsuitable” sweets, then nothing threatens your health. However, such an experience does not need to be turned into a habit.
Remember:
- Expired products are inferior in quality to fresh.
- In improperly stored chocolate, he loves to put off his larvae with food moth.
- Fattened chocolate starts to oxidize fats, the use of which can lead to dangerous diseases.
Keep track of the quality of the foods you consume!