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Episode transcript
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I’m Susie Craig. Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute.
Are you concerned about what to do with leftover chocolate candy from Halloween?
From a food safety perspective, the risk of foodborne pathogens is very low because of a natural preservative in chocolate and low water activity which bacteria need to grow and multiply.
Marlene Greiger of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recommends storing chocolate in a cool, dry environment such as your pantry.
Milk chocolate has a shelf life of a year, white chocolate six months.
Placing chocolate in a refrigerator or freezer may lead to bloom. Though it doesn’t affect safety, “chocolate may appear dusted or streaked with grey on the surface.”
Consider donating candy to a food bank, community buy-back programs, or organizations serving military service members. Call first!
From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute.
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Resources
Greiger, Marlene. Chocolate – Shelf Life, Storage, and Bloom. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Answer Line. 11/7/23.
Koenig, Ronnie. Today – All Day. 10/3/23.