"Store in a cool, dry place away from light." Seen and reviewed countless times, this injunction to protect chocolate from light seems a bit redundant with the instruction to keep it cool. It's obvious that it will melt in the sun. So, is this just another one of those precautions added to avoid any risk of complaints from absent-minded consumers? Perhaps, but not only. Like many foods, chocolate has complex and fascinating properties.
Chocolate and Light: An Unexpected Reaction
Like other vegetable fats, cocoa butter contains, among other things, unsaturated fatty acids. In addition to their nutritional qualities, these lipids contain or enhance some of chocolate's delicate aromas. In the presence of oxygen, but also humidity, such as in the fridge, these lipids can undergo a phenomenon called peroxidation. This natural chemical reaction typically gives a rancid taste to fatty foods. The taste properties of chocolate can thus change. This is why some producers vacuum-seal their creations.
Air and humidity are not the only elements that can cause this phenomenon. Certain enzymes can too. This is one of the reasons why milk chocolate, which naturally contains milk enzymes, does not keep as long. More surprisingly, light can also cause this same chemical reaction. Indeed, while infrared light is particularly effective, to the point of melting chocolate, visible light also alters the fat in chocolate.
The Packaging Dilemma
Chocolate's sensitivity to light also explains why many chocolatiers avoid presenting their products in transparent packaging. Yet, seeing the chocolate encourages customers to buy it. It's therefore a commercial choice to make. Many manufacturers try to circumvent this difficulty by featuring a realistic photo or image of the chocolate on the packaging. The goal: to create desire, while protecting the product and thus extending its shelf life and therefore its sales period.
To distinguish themselves from industrial manufacturers, artisans generally find other solutions. Some opt for a compromise with a small transparent window revealing a bit of the bar. They show themselves, but not too much. A game of seduction. Others, on the contrary, choose a 100% opaque casing. Even better, inside, an additional wrapping sometimes adds an extra layer of protection, either with opaque plastic or with aluminum. In addition to being recyclable, aluminum also has the advantage of reflecting light, "doubly" preventing the chocolate from being exposed to it. You can never be too careful...
And what kind of protection do you prefer for your chocolate bars?
Find the article on the Nicolas blog.
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