It’s a debate that divides opinions – but an expert has now offered his verdict on the question of whether chocolate belongs in the fridge or the cupboard.
Joshua Houston is a ‘food storage expert’ at Household Quotes, a website which provides homeowners with quotes from a network of engineers.
Weighing in on the ‘cupboard or fridge’ debate, Joshua claims one storage option should be avoided at all costs.
He warned against refrigerating chocolate, saying: “Refrigerating your chocolate is bad for several reasons, the first being that chocolate can easily absorb flavours from other foods in your fridge.
“Secondly, if you chill your sweet treats you might notice that the cold can make them tasteless. This takes away some of the enjoyment and satisfaction chocolate can bring.”
He added: “Discolouring is another big problem, this occurs when moisture in a fridge results in ‘sugar bloom’, which is where sugar rises to the surface.”
While some consumers may choose to refrigerate chocolate to try and stop the food from spoiling, it actually has a relatively long shelf life before going bad.
Chocolate may go bad depending on the ingredients list – bars with milk will go off quicker, lasting around 10 to 12 months. Dark chocolate on the other hand which doesn’t contain milk can have a shelf life of over two years.
Joshua recommended customers opt for the cupboard, rather than the fridge when it comes to storing their chocolate.
He said: “Your cupboard is a better option as long as it’s dry, moisture can negatively affect the taste over time. The ideal temperature for chocolate is between 12 to 18 degrees Celsius as any more could result in melting.
“If you do open your chocolate, wrap it in an airtight wrapper or a container. This will help protect the chocolate from moisture and outside odours which could negatively affect the taste.
“Also make sure to keep chocolate away from direct light, it not only causes ‘sugar bloom’ but melting is a factor. Bloomed chocolate is still safe to eat, but it won’t look as appealing and might taste slightly different.”
Ultimately how you store your chocolate is up to you. Some people enjoy cold chocolate more than room temperature. Just make sure it is correctly wrapped if it is already open.
