Bad Valentine Candy

R. Richard

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This is from NYC. However, CAVEAT EMPTOR! Comment?

Buyer Beware: Valentine's Candy May Be From 2007

5 Of 6 Bags Purchased In NYC By CBS 2 HD Inedible; Worms Found Inside 'Big Kiss'

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Chocolate is one of the most popular Valentine's Day gifts, with more than $1 billion of it purchased just for that one romantic day alone. That chocolate may not be as sweet as you think however -- some stores seem to be recycling last year's sweets!

You can't even go grocery shopping these days without seeing shelves stacked with heart-shaped boxes, sugar cookies covered in red sprinkles, or giant kiss after kiss of chocolate sweets for your sweetheart.

Yet many of the desserts made especially for Valentine's Day might not look as nice on the inside as they do on the outside. There's a possibility that chocolate may be from old stock.

"It's something that should be glorious. It should have a luster to it. It should crack slightly when you bite it," said Brian Buckley of Manhattan's Institute of Culinary Education.

CBS 2 HD did its own investigation, purchasing six bags of Valentine's Day treats at stores around New York City. Of those six bags, five were inedible.

From the finest of truffles to candy bought in bulk, most of these products were expired and showed signs of improper storage, like melting and reshaping. Some of the chocolates had white dots or streaks, called a "bloom," which means the chocolate is stale.

"I would not eat that and I would not advise anybody to. It's just disgusting," Buckley said after seeing the results.

And though you won't get food poisoning, the rotten chocolate just may upset your stomach and certainly a romantic evening.

"It's not saying 'I love you,' it's saying, 'Oops!'" Buckley said.

Buckley was shocked that store shelves could be stacked with so much bad chocolate just days before the sweetest of holidays.

And CBS 2 HD's investigation grew even more appalling. A luscious looking giant Hershey kiss we purchased had some secret admirers inside: an infestation of worms.

CBS 2 HD went back to the store where it was purchased, Nut City on 2nd Avenue, to show the manager, who said they aren't responsible because the candy is purchased from another company. The store, however, did agree to take the rest off the shelves.

Chocolate makers advise to check for expiration dates. Chocolate has about a year's shelf life. Still, many stores don't enforce expiration dates, so it's up to you. If the chocolate is sub-standard, take it back and demand a refund.
 
So how long IS chocolate good for? On average I mean.
 
Chocolate can be kept for years (I have had years old chocolate). But it has to be kept away from bugs, pests, and parasites. You also have to worry about cremes and fillings that come with the chocolate that could go rotten. Fruit fillings and such.
 
Chocolate is very sensitive to temperature and humidity. Ideal storage temperatures are between 59 and 63 degrees Fahrenheit, with a relative humidity of less than 50%.

If you store chocolate in a non air conditioned warehouse over a summer, the shape is gone and at least most of the taste.
 
So how long IS chocolate good for? On average I mean.

As has been said, it's actual shelf life is years. THey sometimes put Hershies "Tropcal" chocolate bars in survival packs on liferafts because it last so long. The tropical bars don't taste as good but don't melt as easilly either.

The only thing that really happens when chocolate melts is that the cocco butter comes to the surface. That's the whitish bloom you see. Its not bad for you but no longer tastes as good.
 
It's obvious the stores should reduce the price for us choc-o-holics :)


Also, buy your chocolate on the "after Valentines Day Sale" in large quatities and store it, preferably in a place the is relatively handy. :D
 
Also, buy your chocolate on the "after Valentines Day Sale" in large quatities and store it, preferably in a place the is relatively handy. :D
:eek: You've already finished off your Halloween candy? That was supposed to last you till Easter!
 
Halloween candy is supposed to last until Thanksgiving, that is supposed to last until Christmas, until New Years, which doesn't get me anything... So I struggle until Easter (no Valentine for me again :( ), which is supposed to last me until my birthday, but that never works out, which is supposed to last me to Halloween again.

Well, that's how it is supposed to work...
 
Halloween candy is supposed to last until Thanksgiving, that is supposed to last until Christmas, until New Years, which doesn't get me anything... So I struggle until Easter (no Valentine for me again :( ), which is supposed to last me until my birthday, but that never works out, which is supposed to last me to Halloween again.

Well, that's how it is supposed to work...

Damn it, Thee. You are supposed to love those hard sugar Vantines heart things with the stupid stuff like, "Sweet Heart" printed on them.
 
Heheh... I buy it all like Jenny says right after the holiday it was created for... then I bag it in freezer storage bags and pop it in the freezer... doling out my favorites one baggie a week.

And anyone who doesnt pay attention to things like expiration dates and ingrediant lists - well hell - guess you like yucky stuff in your body eh?


Oh and Roca's? melt me
 
Damn it, Thee. You are supposed to love those hard sugar Vantines heart things with the stupid stuff like, "Sweet Heart" printed on them.

I searched everywhere in my town for some of that bloody candy this year...
Couldn't find it anywhere:( Maybe next year lol...
Yeah yeah I know it's corny...
But he is all the way over there and I am all the way over here and I wanted to send him something that would make him smile:p
 
I haven't seen those in years, cinn.
We've done pretty well - just ran out of Christmas chocolate last week...
 
Our last box from the Chrisco Hampers was off, or we'd still have some too.
 
Our last box from the Chrisco Hampers was off, or we'd still have some too.

Yeah didn't they have some trouble this year....
And Chrisco bought out Castle... Ugh...
better round up the choccies and get the girls into them b4 easter I guess lol...
 
Did they now? I didn't know that.
I'm not getting Chrisco this year - they've rung me ad offered all kinds of inducements, but the value just isn't there anymore, and this year half the boxes didn't even have a contents list.
 
Did they now? I didn't know that.
I'm not getting Chrisco this year - they've rung me ad offered all kinds of inducements, but the value just isn't there anymore, and this year half the boxes didn't even have a contents list.

I am going through Hamper king for most of mine this year for that very reason...
Also because the meat packs are too big for just my two girls and I... Besides they are getting their meat from same place as castle and I switched to Chrisco meat because Castle was disgusting...
Although next year I am just going to get one that you pay whatever you want into and you get vouchers.... Kmart, Big W Woolies Coles to name a few that you can get them from just have to find out what the company is called again lol....
 
I'm putting the money aside into a Credit Union Christmas Club account.
 
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