How long is chocolate good for?
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Anonymous
| I am seriously PMSing and craving chocolate so bad. We don't keep any in the house, but I just found a few hershey kisses and peanut butter cups in DH's office. They are leftover from a wedding from July of 2011. Still good? I know this is a stupid question, but I'm hoping someone will tell me it will give me food poisoning so I don't eat them!! |
Anonymous
| They are probably still ok. Do they have an expiration date? Even then, just take a bite and see if it tastes funny. |
Anonymous
| The kisses will be fine. Old chocolate sometimes develops a white "bloom," but that is just milk solids coming to the surface, especially if they have been kept someplace with large temperature fluctuations. Chocolate can take on off-flavors if it is stored with pungent things (in the fridge, for example), but that probably isn't an issue if it has been in the office all this time. I don't know about the quality of the pb cups, but suspect they will be fine. |
Anonymous
| They are fine, but might taste a little stale. |
Anonymous
| I have no idea b/c we would never have that problem (unfortunately). |
Anonymous
|
It is good until eaten.
The flavor may deteriorate a little, and as PP noted it may get harder and develop a dull white color, but it's not going to hurt you. |
Anonymous
Chocolate bloom is not milk solids - it is usually cocoa fat but can also be sugar. You can tell by feel. Definitely not dangerous, does not affect taste but the same conditions that caused the bloom can change the taste as well. |
Anonymous
| I used to buy chocolate from street vendors in a developing country when I was in Peace Corps...that stuff was OLD, dumped from 1st world markets when it expired then traveling around the globe a bit. But you eat what you got! It never tasted great, but never hurt me. |