Food waste expert Kate Hall has weighed in on the long-running debate over whether chocolate bars belong in the fridge. She says that while chocolate biscuits can be "lovely chilled", full chocolate bars require more consideration.
Why fridge storage can spoil chocolate
Kate explained that factors like temperature, humidity and light can all affect food. She noted that many people refrigerate items unnecessarily, while leaving out foods that would benefit from being kept cold. Among the most divisive items are avocados, bananas and potatoes, with chocolate biscuits also sparking disagreement.
Speaking to The Mail, Kate said: "While chocolate biscuits can be lovely chilled, full chocolate bars need a little more care. Moisture and temperature changes can affect their texture and appearance, causing a whitish bloom on the surface."
Chef agrees with the expert
Her advice echoes remarks from Private Yacht Chef and founder of Ocean Earth Chef, Barry D'Arcy. In April, he explained the optimal way to store Easter eggs, noting that refrigerating them makes the chocolate firmer but also dulls its flavour.
Barry said: "When you store Easter eggs in the fridge, the chocolate becomes much firmer, which to some might be appealing; however, it also means it loses some of its smooth texture. The flavour also becomes diluted as cold temperatures mute the cocoa notes."
He added: "Chocolate is designed to melt gently at around 30 to 32 degrees Celsius, so eating it straight from the fridge essentially alters the entire experience and inevitably makes it less pleasurable. Like any food or product, if it's consumed in a way it wasn't intended to be, the result is often underwhelming."
Quality matters
Steve Russell, co-founder of chocolate brand Russell & Atwell, said there are two types of chocolate lovers: those who enjoy the 'snap' of cold chocolate and those who prefer the "quicker deeper flavour". He claims high-quality chocolate usually tastes "better" from the fridge, while cheaper Easter eggs with lower cocoa content can taste "rather plasticky and flat" at room temperature and even "worse" when chilled.
Rare Rowntree box up for auction
In related news, a solid silver Rowntree's chocolate box is set to be auctioned in Scarborough. Crafted for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, it could fetch £1,000.
Holly Hammond, from auctioneers David Duggleby, told the BBC: "Along with all the country's major chocolate manufacturers, Rowntree of York produced thousands of souvenir coronation tins of chocolate - painted tins decorated with portraits of the new King and Queen - that were distributed to the nation's schoolchildren and many others. Rowntree also commissioned the Sheffield silversmiths Cooper Brothers and Sons to produce a small number of solid silver versions of the painted tins."
