Should we eat the chocolate that turns white?

It is quite common to find chocolate turning white. While many of us find this white powdery or streaky coating on the chocolate as unappealing, it does not mean that the chocolate has turned moldy or inedible. Read on to know more about this white coating on chocolates.

The white layer or streak on chocolates that may seem moldy is actually called the “bloom”. There are two types of chocolate blooms: sugar and fat bloom.

Sugar bloom. Sugar bloom happens when the moisture comes in contact with chocolate and as most of the chocolates contain sugar, it is quite common to find chocolates with sugar bloom.

Fat bloom. Fat bloom mostly happens because of improper storage condition, change in the temperature at which chocolate is kept, and poor tempering. It is one of the most common reasons why the chocolates have this white layer on them.

To avoid the appearance of white streaks on your favorite chocolates you must:

Store the chocolates at the proper temperature. It should be stored in a cool place of your house, typically in a cupboard or a dark pantry, in case you do not have air conditioning at your house.

Chocolates should be ideally stored in an airtight container at a cool and dry place of your house.

Carefully wrap and seal the chocolates in a plastic wrap or a zip lock bag to prevent it from coming in contact with moisture and odor.

If you live in a hot and humid place and without any air conditioning, then you can also consider to store the chocolates in a sealed airtight container and then place them in the warmest spot of the refrigerator, which is often the top and middle shelf, but towards the front of the shelf.