The shelf life of chocolate depends on the amount of cocoa, fat, preservatives. Home-made tiles with additives are stored less. The longest shelf life for dark chocolate.
Any product, including chocolate, has a shelf life. Usually, tiles can be stored for up to one year. In this case, you need to choose a dry place in which the temperature is at around 16-18 degrees. If the room is hot, the butter starts to melt and the taste of the treat changes. It is not worth storing it in the refrigerator, since sucrose crystals begin to appear on the surface in the form of white spots.
What conditions determine the shelf life of chocolate?
An important factor is the amount of fat and cocoa powder. The more fat or cocoa butter in the bar, the shorter the shelf life will be. For example, dark chocolate has a longer shelf life than white or milk chocolate. It contains a large amount of cocoa products. Its oil content ranges from 33%. The dark look contains 20% cocoa products, 40% solids.
Another factor is the place of production. If the sweetness is prepared at home, then it is worth eating it in a month. During the manufacture at the factory, various components are added to preserve the taste and useful properties of the product for a longer time.
Reduce shelf life and additives:
- dried fruits;
- nuts;
- waffles;
- souffle.
The last condition for long-term storage is the wrapper. Chocolate sold by weight has a shorter shelf life. It is better if foil is used as a wrapper.
Expiry dates from various manufacturers
Often the storage periods are determined by the manufacturers themselves. Alpen Gold produces tiles that must be eaten within 9 to 12 months. Most of the varieties produced under this brand are made with various additives.
"Alenka" - chocolate without additives and oxidants. It is stored for no more than 6 months. Milka has a shelf life of up to 12 months, however, according to GOST, such a product should be used within 6 months. The term is increased due to various oxidizing agents, allowing for more time to preserve the useful properties of the delicacy. "Babaevsky" can be used within a year from the date of issue.
Dark chocolate has the most shelf life. This parameter can go up to 24 months, since the sum of cocoa products can be up to 95%.
In conclusion, we note that sorbic acid is used to increase the shelf life. It is a preservative that prevents the growth of microorganisms. The process of obtaining it will be carried out by chemical means. The supplement was found to be safe.
