Does Chocolate Go Bad?

Help, my chocolate melted before I got a chance to eat it!

We’re sorry that you experienced this. Melting is natural and happens to all chocolate at some point. If your Magic Chocolate has melted, the best thing to do is enjoy it gooey rather than cooling or attempting to re-solidify it. We recommend dipping your favorite fruits, nuts, or cookies into the melted chocolate or drizzling it on yogurt, ice cream, or even popcorn. A partially melted bar offers a great opportunity  for baking cookies or brownies.

What is the white film on my chocolate? Why does it occur?

Magic Chocolate is an emulsion of fats and solids: Regenerative Organic Certified® cocoa butter and cocoa solids paired with organic sugar. These ingredients are carefully mixed and cooled by our master chocolatiers at Maestrani in Switzerland to create a stable crystalline structure in a process called tempering. Tempering is what gives chocolate a beautiful shine, a snappy crunch, and a creamy mouthfeel that melts evenly on the tongue.

White film or dull streaks on chocolate products are common occurrences known as chocolate or cocoa butter bloom. Bloom is the result of the chocolate’s crystalline structure breaking down, causing the cocoa butter to rise to the surface and create a lighter coloration and the subtle changes in taste and mouth feel. This can occur when chocolate has experienced major shifts in temperature, such as when it is transported from a temperature-controlled grocery store to a warm car and then into an air-conditioned house. Fully melted chocolate that is rapidly cooled often develops an opaque layer of white cocoa butter on the surface of the bar. Bloom can even occur in chocolate products that have been handled and stored responsibly. 

Is bloomed chocolate safe to eat?

Bloomed chocolate is perfectly safe to eat, but it may not be as flavorful or creamy. We suggest repurposing melted chocolate as a dipping sauce or drizzle, or as an ingredient in baking recipes. While chocolate does not continue to bloom at a rapid rate, we suggest using it within a month or two of the initial bloom.

What’s the best way to store chocolate?

Proper storage is crucial to preserving the quality and flavor of chocolate. Magic Chocolate should be stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and strong odors at a temperature range of 65–75°F (18–23°C) for optimal texture and taste. 

Though storing your chocolate in the fridge technically extends its shelf life, it can decrease the quality of its taste and texture. When you eat it, refrigerated chocolate will not melt as easily or smoothly, and the cocoa butter can bloom if allowed to warm to room temperature after being chilled. Additionally, storing chocolate in the fridge for an extended period allows for the smells of other foods to negatively impact the chocolate.

How long does chocolate keep?

Chocolate is a very shelf-stable product and doesn’t “go bad” the way other foods do. Properly stored dark chocolate usually will retain its full flavor for about two years at room temperature, and oatmilk chocolate will continue to taste delicious for 18 months to 2 years. Our truffle bars stay creamy and fresh for 12 months.

After the printed “best if used by” date, the chocolate isn’t harmful to eat, but it may not taste as fresh or flavorful as it once did and chocolate bloom is more likely to appear.