Know If You Should Refrigerate Chocolate Or Not

When it is warm summer's day and if you have left chocolate in the car, you will find it sticky due to the chocolate milk in it. With the desperate attempt to save, you rush to store it in the fridge. Unfortunately, you find your favourite appetizing chocolate no more looks or tastes edible.

Apart from the change in shape and white marks on its surface- there is a lot of ways to understand that the refrigeration is actually harming. So, do you think chilling cause a detrimental effect on its taste? Or is it okay to keep chocolate in the refrigerator? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Some influencing storage factors:

1. Oxidation:

When chocolate comes into contact with the air, it causes oxidation. What does it mean? Well, the fat contained in the chocolate gets changed into other substances that can change the taste of it leaving an unappealing smell. The Cocoa in chocolate contains the natural substances that slow down the oxidation process. And hence, dark chocolates get affected less than the milk chocolate. Well, in order to prevent the oxidation, you should store chocolate the light and air proof packaging or container and fridge without proper door sealing can cause such problems.

2. Diffusion:

The substances from the surrounding environment can diffuse through the packaging into the chocolate. Moreover, water or alcohol can diffuse out of any chocolate filling preparation. Well, this is the reasons why chocolate today are often packaged in sealed plastics. We all have seen how chocolate comes with aluminium foil wrapping besides a paper wrap.

3. Ostwald ripening:

It is a nightmare among chocolate lovers. According to Fisher and Paykel Fridge Repair professionals, It is the same thing that happens with ice crystals. The small cocoa butter crystals become larger over time and cause white deposits. And the situation goes worst with temperature fluctuations if the fridge is not functioning properly. As soon as the build-up starts warming up, the chocolate starts sweating. Soon after this, you will find cocoa butter has started depositing on the surface followed by creating a white coating. However, this coating is neither harmful to the taste, not even to the health.

4. Hygroscopy:

There is 0.6 of water content in chocolate. Not having protective packaging can absorb moisture and mould in the worst case scenario. So, it's better to refrigerate only packaged chocolate.

5. Prone to absorb odour and test:

Fat-soluble chemicals in fish meat and cheese aromas are quickly absorbed by chocolate and make the chocolate smell and taste old.

A few tips to follow:

• With fridge repair and maintenance in Potts Point, you can store chocolate fresh in the freezer for several months.
• It's better to store chocolate in a refrigerator than the room temperature.
• There is no specific temperature or humidity requirements for storing packaged chocolate.
• Freezer storage test at -18 degree Celsius proved better preservation of the chocolates.

Did you know the chocolate we buy come with type V cocoa butter in it with the melting point of around 32 degree Celsius? So, the chocolate will melt as soon as we put it in the mouth. Hence, if we leave chocolate in the car on the hot summer day with 37-39 degree Celsius, it would no longer test good. So, refrigeration is necessary and obviously with the right functioning and good chocolate packaging as well.