As a food safety expert, I can tell you that consuming chocolate that is past its best before or sell-by date is generally not harmful to your health, but it may affect the quality of the chocolate. Here's what you need to know:


1. Best Before: This date is more about quality than safety. After this date, the chocolate might not taste as good, but it's not necessarily unsafe to eat.

2. Sell By: This is a date that's more for the store rather than the consumer. It's an instruction to retailers about when to remove the product from sale.

3. Changes in Chocolate: Over time, chocolate can lose its freshness and develop a white, powdery substance known as bloom. This is a result of the fat or sugar in the chocolate rising to the surface and is not harmful.

4. Nutritional Value: The nutritional content of the chocolate doesn't significantly change just because it's past its best before date.

5. Storage Conditions: If the chocolate has been stored properly in a cool, dry place, it's less likely to spoil quickly. However, if it's been exposed to heat or moisture, it may develop mold or off-flavors more quickly.

If you notice any significant changes in the chocolate, such as a change in color, a strange smell, or mold, it's best not to eat it.

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Chocolate can last a long time, she adds, but it often develops a white coating, known as the "bloom", when it's exposed to the air. This happens when some of the crystalline fat melts and rises to the top. It's not mould, she says, and it's fine to eat.read more >>