There is nothing more frustrating than opening a delicious chocolate bar and noticing that an annoying white patina has formed on the surface. A kind of white powder that appears out of nowhere and makes us wonder if the chocolate is still good . Why does chocolate turn white sometimes? What can we do to solve it and to avoid it?
What is the white powder that sometimes appears in chocolate?
When we see that that white patina covers the entire tablet, we wonder if it is still edible because the truth is, we still have the temptation to eat our long-awaited chocolate, and the truth is that we have nothing to fear because despite those whitish stains, you can eat without problem.
So why is my newly purchased tablet white? Or why when I put the chocolate in the fridge it is covered in white? The answer is found in the fats ( cocoa butter ) of the chocolate itself, which are what create the whitish patina on its surface.
In fact, if we leave the chocolate exposed to too high or too low temperatures, the fats separate and, through the porous structure of the chocolate, emerge on the surface and then crystallize and acquire that annoying white color. Something that can then happen if the chocolate is stored in a place where it is very hot, and also as we say when we put it in the fridge.
How to prevent chocolate from turning white?
Although it is absolutely edible, the formation of the white patina on the chocolate causes many problems for the producers. The confectionery industry loses millions of dollars each year due to the “migration” of fats on the surface. When chocolate turns white, in fact, not everyone likes to eat it. For this reason, several specific studies are being conducted to identify production techniques that reduce pores in chocolate. Meanwhile, some guidelines can be put in place to limit the phenomenon.
First of all, the chocolate must be kept at a temperature between 14 and 18 °. In warmer environments, fats liquefy and separate from the other components. At lower temperatures, they solidify causing the same phenomenon. Another way to avoid the formation of the white patina is not to keep the chocolate for a long time . If you buy the tablet and consume it quickly, you will not have time for the fat to come off, something that for many people will not be any kind of sacrifice but a pleasure.
