Is it possible to poison expired chocolate

Sometimes we open a bar of chocolate and see that it is covered with nasty white bloom. We look at the production date - all right. And sometimes normal for the type of chocolate on the wrapper indicates the date that the shelf life had expired. Is it possible to get poisoned chocolate at all? We dealt with a specialist.

Anna Jurkiewicz

Gastroenterologist. Author blog about nutrition and health of the digestive system.

Can I have an expired chocolate? I, as a doctor, a little surprising that such a question arises.

In any product, whatever it may have been fresh, it contains bacteria. Harmless and not very much. The longer the product is stored, even in the refrigerator, the more bacteria in it. With a small amount of our immune system copes. But when the concentration of microbes is becoming critical, toxins secreted by them poison our bodies in the truest sense of the word.

This is the mechanism of occurrence of any food poisoning (in a simple way - poisoning). In this case, the main reason for our poor health (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting) are not the bacteria themselves, and toxins secreted by them. If we talk about intestinal infections, then we usually become infected by them from other people, and not from outstanding food. Thus, a particular expiration date - is the time interval over which is formed critical number of bacteria.

The use of any outstanding food - a tape measure: once or twice may be lucky, and the third - not.

If filled chocolate (and it is very breeding ground for germs) in the roulette, certainly not worth playing!

Oh and one more thing. When the oil is heated (during cooking) allocated harmful substances occurs and the so-called fat oxidation. By the way, at room temperature, something similar also happens to be much slower.

Part chocolate always included fat. Good if the fat is saturated (it solidifies at room temperature, Example - cocoa butter, butter). It is more resistant to oxidation (and to heat, by the way, too). If used in the manufacture of fluid vegetable oils, then the probability of oxidation of fat during prolonged storage above and, as a consequence, the use of harmful substances is much more likely.

The conclusion seems to me, is very simple: do not risk your health!

By the way, white plaque on the chocolate - it is not a sign of spoilage. Just was stored in different conditions, e.g., moved from the refrigerator to the refrigerator. So those were the most fat at the surface. If the white raid you see that the expiration date has not expired, then you can eat chocolate.

see also

• Where to complain if you were poisoned in the café or restaurant →
• As there are street food when traveling and not to poison →
• What should I do if food poisoning →