Shelf life of chocolates: storage rules

Chocolate and chocolate sweets are a favorite and useful treat, which is served in many families not only for holidays, but also for ordinary everyday life. In addition, chocolate sweets 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 a choice intuitively, reacting to bright labels, beautiful boxes and flashy inscriptions. Although it is to the information contained on the wrapper, you need to pay special attention. является важной характеристикой, влияющей не только на вкусовые качества, но и на физическое состояние человека. After all, the shelf life of chocolate sweets is an important characteristic that affects not only taste qualities, but also the physical condition of a person.

How the composition affects the storage of chocolate

устанавливается в зависимости от продуктов, входящих в их состав. The shelf life of chocolates is determined depending on the products included in their composition. Of the ingredients present in the chocolate confectionery, fats are the smallest time of safe consumption, it is their splitting that leads to the accumulation of concentrates that cause a deterioration in the state of human health.

By decreasing the shelf life, depending on the type of sweets, they are arranged as follows:

• Candies made from bitter chocolate are from 1 to 2 years old.
• From unsweetened dark chocolate - from 10 to 12 months.
• From milk chocolate - from 6 to 10 months.
• Glazed sweets in the wrapper - up to 4 months.
• Assorted - up to 2 months.
• Sweets from white chocolate - no longer than a month.

существенно снижается при включении в их состав таких добавок, как арахис, фундук, лесной орех, а также различные начинки. The shelf life of chocolates is significantly reduced when included in their composition of additives such as peanuts, hazelnuts, hazelnuts, as well as various fillings. In the presence of inclusions, sweets should be consumed no later than three months from the date of manufacture.

Weighing sweets

With the products in branded packages from the manufacturer everything is clear, but how to determine the expiration date of chocolate candies by weight? With this, things are more complicated, because the shelf life of the weight 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 assess the quality yourself.

Product Quality Indicators

1. Quality candies have a shiny, smooth and even surface, without sagging or splashing.
2. The filling is homogeneous, without the loss of sugar crystals.
3. The fragrance should be clearly pronounced, without foreign odors.

Possible defects

1. A whitish coating occurs due to improper storage conditions.
2. Absence of gloss, moistening of the surface occurs due to improper storage.

Candy in box

With packaged products, everything is much simpler. производителем. The shelf life of the chocolate candies in the box is indicated by the manufacturer. Typically, these kits have a shelf life of 9 months to one year.

How to store chocolate products

для сохранения их вкусовых качеств и пищевой ценности важно создать правильные условия хранения. Despite the fact that the shelf life of chocolate sweets, in order to preserve their taste and nutritional value, it is important to create the right storage conditions.

Storage space

Chocolates must be stored in a dark, dry place. Chocolate absorbs odors well , so it is desirable to keep sweets out of it away from spices and tea, in hermetically sealed boxes, especially for products without a wrapper. The refrigerator is also not the best place for storing delicacies, most of all for these purposes a cupboard or cupboard is suitable.

Optimal temperature

For chocolates, the best temperature is 16-20 ° C. At a higher temperature regime, the glaze begins to melt, and at a lower level, cocoa butter leaves and the candies are covered with a "gray" coating. Such a product is not considered harmful, but its taste is significantly reduced.

Overdue or not?

а белый налет на их поверхности. It often happens that the doubt is caused not by the shelf life of the chocolate sweets, but by a white coating on their surface. The formation of such a raid occurs for innocuous reasons. So, the surface of the product is cocoa butter, 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 unprofitable palm oil never turn pale.

Consequences of using expired chocolate

More recently, chocolate and sweets from it have been included in the list of foods that can be eaten after the end of shelf life. According to the members of the organization for the protection of natural resources, overdue chocolate becomes less tasty, but it does not harm health and it can be eaten six months after the expiration date indicated. That is, if you ate a few "unsuitable" chocolates, then your health is not threatened. However, this experience does not need to be turned into a habit.

Remember:

• Overdue products are inferior as fresh.
• In improperly stored chocolate loves to put off his larvae food moth.
• In heavily overdue chocolate sweets, the oxidation of fats begins, the use of which can lead to dangerous diseases.

Watch for the quality of the foods that you consume!