Dominican cocoa balls expiration date + tips, conditions, what to do

What does it depend on?

What determines the guaranteed shelf life of chocolate? So, the shelf life of chocolate depends on the following points:

From the amount of fat and cocoa powder . So, the more fat or cocoa butter a product contains, the shorter its shelf life will be. For example, dark chocolate, which contains a minimal amount of fatty ingredients, can be perfectly stored in the refrigerator for a long period, unlike white or milk chocolate.
From the place of production . Homemade chocolate can be stored for no more than 30 days. If the delicacy is produced in a factory, then it can retain its nutritional qualities for months.
From the availability and quality of additives that complement this dessert. Any additional fillers, which include nuts, dried fruits, waffles, rice balls, yoghurts, milk, creams and soufflés, reduce the shelf life of chocolate. That is why, when purchasing a product for use in the near future, it is better to give preference to varieties without any additives.
From the presence of a wrapper. As a rule, chocolate sold by weight has a shorter shelf life than chocolate packaged in foil and paper.
From storage conditions. Temperature, humidity, and exposure to sunlight have a direct impact on the shelf life of the product.

By choosing the right conditions, the consumer gets a chance to preserve the quality characteristics of the delicacy longer.

What affects the shelf life?

The most direct influence on how long chocolate is stored is its composition. Any fan of this dessert is aware that there are three main types:

Bitter dark chocolate. It is characterized by the highest content of cocoa powder and a minimum of butter, due to which the product has the longest shelf life: a whole year!
Milk, very tender, selflessly loved by children, can be stored for no longer than ten months, provided that it does not contain any fillings.
White chocolate is a rather controversial product. Some consider this name to be very arbitrary, because cocoa powder has never been seen in this sweetness. Nevertheless, the word is there, which means there is white chocolate too! But it can only be stored for a month due to its high fat content.

Dark chocolate is the most natural and lasts longer than other types.
Why does the shelf life of chocolate depend on the percentage of its fat component? It's very simple: any fat, interacting with oxygen, oxidizes and becomes bitter. Everyone has probably smelled the smell of rancid oil that has been stored longer than expected.

The same thing happens with expired chocolate: the fat in its composition oxidizes, which leads to an irreversible loss of the real taste properties of the product and even makes its consumption hazardous to health.

Chocolate manufacturers offer customers a wide selection of fillings. These include different types of nuts, soft caramel, milk-based fruit and berry fillings, and dried fruits. Even peppers, cookies and crunchy cereal can be found in the sweet bars.

The presence of fillings invariably reduces the long-term shelf life of chocolate products. As a rule, the shelf life of such chocolate varies within six months, unless strong preservatives are added to it during production.

You can often find loose chocolate in specialized stores. When purchasing it, you need to be sure that the dessert will be eaten within a month.

Homemade chocolates only stay fresh for a week, but they are very tasty!

Deadlines according to GOST

What is the expiration date established by GOST? GOST 52821-2007, which came into force in 2007, implies the following shelf life for different types of chocolate:

bitter dark chocolate , produced in factory conditions and packaged in bars, has the longest shelf life - 12 months;
milk chocolate has a slightly shorter shelf life - approximately 10 - 12 months;
white chocolate has a maximum cocoa butter content, so it can be stored for no more than one month;
if the product includes various additives in the form of dried fruits, nuts , etc., then this also reduces the shelf life of the delicacy to 4 months;
Chocolates are not shelf-stable products. Thus, sweets in wrappers, coated with chocolate, must be consumed within 4 months from the date of their production, assorted sweets have a shelf life of no more than 2 months, for other types of this dessert - 1-2 months;
marshmallows coated with chocolate can be stored for 3 months, provided that all rules are followed. The air temperature should be 18°C +/-3 degrees, and the humidity should not exceed 75%;
The shelf life of chocolate is on average 12 months.

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Under what conditions should it be stored?

Cocoa powder should be stored according to the conditions specified by the manufacturer.

This is a dark place with normal humidity levels, which should not be higher than 75%. The product should not be exposed to sunlight.
If you keep cocoa in a damp place, its texture will become lumpy.
The storage temperature of cocoa powder is +18°C -+22°C with a permissible deviation of 3 degrees.
The pantry or cabinet where the product is stored must be ventilated.
Products and substances with a strong odor should not be located near cocoa so that it is not absorbed into the powder.

In a cold place, cocoa can cake or become lumpy, which will significantly affect its quality and shorten its shelf life. For this reason, you should not keep it on the refrigerator shelf, and especially in the freezer. Freezing is possible only if absolutely necessary.

You should not leave the product on the balcony. High humidity levels and frequent temperature changes will negatively affect its quality.

Products from popular manufacturers

The time during which the delicacy does not lose its consumer qualities is determined individually by each manufacturer.

Here are the expiration dates stated by well-known brands:

"Alpen Gold" - from 9 to 12 months, the specific shelf life depends on the type of chocolate. This manufacturer is known for supplying the market with tiles with various original additives, and they are known to significantly reduce shelf life;
“Alenka” - this chocolate can be stored for 6 months; as a rule, its composition does not contain additives or oxidizing agents;
Milka chocolate can be stored for up to 12 months, although according to GOST such a product must be consumed within six months after production. The shelf life in this case is also increased due to the presence of oxidizing agents that prevent the product from spoiling;
Babaevsky chocolate , according to the information provided on the packaging, can be stored for 12 months after the date of its manufacture.

How to properly store chocolate?

By choosing the right conditions, the consumer gets a chance to preserve the quality characteristics of the delicacy longer.

Candy in a box Everything is much simpler with packaged products. The shelf life of the chocolates in the box is indicated by the manufacturer.

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Well-known and large manufacturers of chocolate products are trying to produce new and original products that can surprise their fans and diversify the existing line as much as possible, giving the chocolate product a new form and endowing it with incredible tastes.

Storage rules at home

How and where can you store chocolate at home? To prevent a purchased chocolate bar from becoming unusable ahead of time, you need to take into account all the manufacturers’ requirements for its storage.

The list of factors that need to be taken into account during storage includes temperature conditions, proper packaging, and lack of direct exposure to sunlight . At what temperature should chocolate be stored?

The ideal temperature for storing chocolate is +15 to +17°C. At a higher temperature (more than 20°C), the product will begin to melt, and after cooling, a light coating will appear on its surface.

This is nothing more than cocoa butter, which first melted, and then went through the crystallization stage and covered the delicacy with “gray hair”.

Can chocolate be stored in the refrigerator? This is also not worth doing - due to the lack of an acceptable temperature regime, the water will begin to freeze out of the product and the tile will eventually become covered with a whitish coating , which is sucrose crystals.

However, the changes that occurred to the delicacy in this case are purely aesthetic in nature and do not affect the taste and organoleptic qualities of chocolate.

If you need to store chocolate for a long time , then it can be placed in the freezer at a temperature of -18°C and a humidity level of no more than 75%. Then the delicacy will be preserved in the best way for quite a long period.

Do not forget to pack chocolate airtight, as it can quickly absorb foreign odors, which will significantly worsen its taste.

Optimal conditions

So, to keep the product fit for consumption, you need to consider some important factors:

Do not place it in direct sunlight . Their impact not only leads to changes in the structure and color of chocolate, but also contributes to the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms in it that can cause poisoning.
High humidity (more than 75%) can cause white spots - sugar crystals - to appear on chocolate.
The packaging of a sweet delicacy must be airtight so that foreign odors do not permeate the product, and its own vanilla aroma does not leave the product. Ideally, the chocolate should be in aluminum foil, so if it wasn’t there initially, you can wrap the dessert with it at home.
Chocolate does not like temperature changes , so a bar purchased from a refrigerator in a supermarket should not be kept warm for a long time. It should either be consumed immediately or put in the refrigerator.

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Shelf life of cocoa butter

Cocoa fruit butter, a product unique in its properties.
Widely used in cooking and cosmetology. Thanks to its qualities, it is an indispensable ingredient in every home. Due to its characteristics, this product has a number of storage requirements. The shelf life of cocoa butter, as a product of plant origin, is limited in time. The immediate product, cocoa butter, is obtained by pre-roasting cocoa beans. The fruit is peeled, the grains are fried and crushed. The resulting mass undergoes a pressing procedure with heating. The result is a viscous, liquid mass. Which is immediately poured into molds. Where it freezes. After hardening, the product is ready for use. It looks like regular margarine, the color is yellow. It melts quickly at room temperature, so it is advisable to store it in the refrigerator.

The finished product must be placed in a tightly closed container. The container should be made of glass or plastic; storage in metal containers should be avoided.

As mentioned above, it is advisable to store it in the refrigerator, on the lower or side shelves. However, any other cool place will do. It is necessary to avoid direct sunlight on the packaging in which cocoa butter is stored.

The shelf life of this product, subject to the above conditions, is up to two years.

Storage Features

To prevent chocolate from spoiling, you must follow certain storage rules:

Avoid exposure to sunlight.
Do not hide it in the refrigerator - it will become covered with a white film. The optimal storage temperature is +16-19 degrees Celsius. Optimal humidity is 75%.
Keep away from products whose odors may permeate it. That is, away from spices, herbs, and chemicals.
It must be stored in packaging or an airtight container.

If the chocolate has been stored a little longer than its expiration date, it can still be eaten. In general, after the expiration of the shelf life, chocolate can be safely thrown away - it is already dangerous to eat it.

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Storing cocoa beans

How to store cocoa beans is described in GOST 32615 - 2014. They require the following conditions:

temperature up to +20°C;
air humidity is not higher than 75%.

These are the same indicators that are required for storing cocoa powder. As in the previous case, you need to store the beans without a refrigerator, and at the same time avoid sudden changes in temperature.

It is best to store cocoa beans in glass, ceramic or metal containers with a tight-fitting lid.

A product that you plan to use quickly can be kept in a bag made of natural fabric. And if it is kept in a tightly closed container, it will need to be opened regularly to check the condition of the beans and ventilate them.

The shelf life of cocoa beans is indicated by product suppliers. They are not indicated in GOST.

Under production conditions, this product is kept in special warehouses, where it maintains its quality for 2 years from the date of harvest. And at home, this time is reduced to 9 months, since creating the necessary conditions on your own can be difficult.

If you store the beans roasted, they will retain their quality a little longer - up to 12 months.

How long to store

It is recommended to store cocoa butter tightly sealed in a cool, dark place. Shelf life 2-3 years. Can be stored in the refrigerator.

Many people have the misconception that the shelf life of cocoa is unlimited, like, for example, salt or sugar. In fact, the time during which a manufacturer guarantees the quality of its products usually does not exceed 12 months.

The shelf life of cocoa powder in its pure form, without any additives, intended for cooking, is 6 months. The peculiarity of the natural drink is the presence of a thick dark sediment formed from insoluble cocoa particles.
Cocoa powder, as part of an instant drink, has a longer shelf life due to the presence of preservative additives in the product. In a metal container it can maintain quality for up to 24 months, and in a glass jar or cardboard package - from 6 to 12 months.

Cocoa powder should be stored according to the conditions specified by the manufacturer.

This is a dark place with normal humidity levels, which should not be higher than 75%. The product should not be exposed to sunlight.
If you keep cocoa in a damp place, its texture will become lumpy.
The storage temperature of cocoa powder is 18°C - 22°C with a permissible deviation of 3 degrees.
The pantry or cabinet where the product is stored must be ventilated.
Products and substances with a strong odor should not be located near cocoa so that it is not absorbed into the powder.

The shelf life of natural cocoa powder and the mixture treated with preservatives is not the same. Without impurities, it can be stored for six months. The “life” of the instant equivalent is twice as long. How can you tell if a drink has gone bad?

The light or dark brown color changes to greyish.
Mold spores are visible on the surface.
The powder begins to smell musty.
The taste becomes sour or salty-bitter.
Insects are crawling in the jar.
Cocoa acquires a lumpy structure and is compressed.
During cooking, instead of a uniform suspension, flakes and lumps are formed.

Any of the listed signs is a signal that you need to get rid of the powder. But what to do if the expiration date indicated on the packaging has expired, but the appearance and smell of cocoa has not changed? It is better to throw it away, although you can still eat it within a month from the expiration date by adding it to baked goods. It is not recommended to consume expired product as a drink.

The main “enemies” of chocolate powder are dampness, sunlight, heat and cold. How to properly store cocoa so that it does not become unusable ahead of time?

Keep in a closed container made of glass, food-grade plastic, cardboard, or metal. A glass or metal jar with a lid is the best option. In glass containers, the soluble powder will not lose its properties for a year. In metal it will be usable twice as long. The shelf life of natural cocoa is 6 months.
Place the transparent container with the powder in a dark cabinet after each use.
Do not allow the product to get wet and do not store it in a room with high (more than 75%) humidity.
In hot weather or, conversely, when the temperature in the kitchen drops sharply, take the container with the drink to a cooler room (excluding the refrigerator).

The optimal temperature for storing cocoa powder is 18-22° above 0.

Fans of the chocolate treat, in addition to grated cocoa, buy fermented raw beans. In special storage facilities, grains do not spoil for 2 years. At home, their shelf life is reduced to 9 months. How to recognize a spoiled product?

A mold coating forms inside and on the surface of the seeds.
The peel becomes slippery or wet.
The container inside smells like rancid oil.
There are live insects among the beans.

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In order for the grains to remain fresh for a long time, the following storage conditions must be observed:

Pack in a container with a tight-fitting lid or a jute bag with drawstrings.
Place the jar (bag) with seeds in a dry cellar. If it is not there, go to the pantry with a temperature of about 20°.
Open the container twice a month for ventilation.

The beans will not go bad within a year if they are roasted and then ground. A tasty drink cannot be made from ground beans. They are usually added to fruit and nut mixtures and desserts.

The confectionery value of cocoa butter is well known to chocolate manufacturers. And its undoubted benefits for the skin of the face and body were unconditionally recognized by pharmacists and cosmetologists.

Useful qualities

Thanks to the polyphenols contained in cocoa butter - organic pigments, which are powerful natural antioxidants that provide the taste and color qualities of the product, which help prevent the appearance of bitter taste, the butter is able to perfectly retain all its taste and nutritional values for the longest period, compared to all other representatives this category.

Of course, it is necessary to comply with all the recommended parameters for ideal, most efficient storage conditions:

Cocoa butter should be kept in a hermetically sealed glass container;
A darker place would be better;
the air should be humid, but contain up to 75 percent water vapor;
air temperature up to 18 degrees Celsius, it is permissible to keep it in the refrigerator;
In such conditions, the shelf life of cocoa butter is up to 5 years.

When stored in cocoa butter for a long time, as can sometimes be observed on chocolate, the appearance of a white coating is acceptable. This is not at all an indicator of a change in properties and does not affect its shelf life at all.

Any deviations from the above indicators entail changes in the permissible storage period of the product.

For example, with a relative air humidity of up to 60% and a temperature of 15-20 degrees Celsius, the preservation of all qualities of the oil can be guaranteed throughout the year. In metal or plastic jars - six months.

Cocoa butter is popular in cosmetology and widely used in cosmetics not only due to its valuable qualities for caring for the face, body and hair, but also due to its long shelf life.

Can cocoa go bad? Oddly enough, yes. Like any product, it has a certain expiration date. To make the most of it, cocoa powder needs to be stored properly.

There are two types of cocoa powder: natural and instant. They differ in the following parameters:

Composition. Natural cocoa is cocoa bean cake ground to a powder state. Sometimes a little starch is added to it for better flowability. The instant product contains various additives, for example: sugar, emulsifiers, etc.
Smell and taste. The drink without impurities has a pronounced aroma and taste of chocolate. In addition to chocolate, the instant mixture usually smells like vanilla or confectionery essence.
Method of preparation. The natural powder is boiled in water or milk, and then left until the suspension of ground grain skins settles to the bottom in the form of a dark brown sediment. The instant product is simply poured with milk and mixed. At the same time, it practically does not produce sediment.
Tactile. If, when rubbing the powder between your fingers, you feel a smooth, oily structure, the cocoa is natural. If grains are felt - instant.
At a price. Powder with additives is several times cheaper than its natural counterpart. The unprocessed product contains twice as many nutrients.

Storage conditions

The optimal temperature for storing cocoa powder is 18-22° above 0.

Cocoa powder is obtained by grinding the seeds of the tree of the same name (it is also called chocolate). It is used to make a nutritious drink and is also used in the production of chocolate. The shelf life of this product will depend not only on its quality, but also on the storage conditions. How to store cocoa will be discussed in this article.

How long to store

Chocolate lifts your mood and relieves chronic fatigue syndrome, thanks to the natural stimulants it contains.

The main component of any chocolate product is butter squeezed from cocoa beans.

The birthplace of cocoa is the Amazonian jungle. The chocolate tree does not tolerate direct sunlight, but bears fruit all year round. Inside a large fruit there are up to 60 seeds; they undergo fermentation, as a result of which they acquire a brown color and, our favorite, taste and smell. Cocoa butter is obtained by pressing, and the remaining cake is used to extract cocoa powder. The oil is then purified for use in the pharmaceutical industry.

Replacing cocoa butter with other vegetable oils is unacceptable; such a product cannot be called chocolate. Its substitutes contain unhealthy trans fats.

The shelf life of cocoa butter is up to 5 years; compared to other fats, it does not go rancid longer, due to the natural antioxidants it contains.

The conditions for quality storage are:

dark and well-sealed containers;
low air humidity;
ambient temperature no more than 180 °C.

The oil may develop a white coating, like chocolate, if stored in the refrigerator. Does not affect its quality and properties at all.

Cocoa butter together with sugar increases vitality, since after taking them, serotonin and endorphin (happiness hormones) are produced in the brain. The higher the cocoa content in chocolate, the stronger its stimulating power.

excellent ability to increase skin elasticity;
Covers the skin with a protective waterproof film and retains moisture in the epidermis. Very relevant for flabby and aging skin;
is included in anti-cellulite creams due to the caffeine content;
palmitic acid increases the penetration of active substances into the skin;
pronounced aromatherapy effect.