What are those white spots on your chocolate?

No matter the occasion, chocolate can be eaten year-round. But have you ever noticed that the colour of your chocolate has changed and wondered whether it is safe to eat?

Looks can be deceiving. Here are some chocolate-related natural occurrences you may not be aware of.

Chocolate bloom

The usual brown hues of chocolate can become discoloured with a hazy white coating. This coating is called "chocolate bloom" and appears naturally. Although it can make the product taste a bit different, it's not harmful.

There are a few reasons why chocolate bloom can occur:

• If chocolate is heated to a high temperature, the cocoa butter inside melts and separates from the rest of the ingredients. It settles on the surface in a white coating.
• If there's excess moisture, it causes the sugar in the chocolate to crystalize, which gives it a white, speckled or spotted coating.

You can help prevent chocolate bloom by storing it in a cool, dry place.

Pine mouth

If your chocolate contains pine nuts, you might find yourself dealing with a rare case of pine mouth. Researchers have linked pine mouth to a specific type of pine nut known as Pinus Armandii.

Eating these pine nuts can sometimes lead to a lingering, metallic taste in the mouth that can last from a few days up to 2 weeks. While unpleasant, pine mouth is not an allergic reaction and does not put your health at risk.

Learn more

• Report a food safety or labelling concern
• Sign up for food recall and allergy alert notifications
• Fact sheets: naturally occurring issues in food
• Fact sheet: rancidity
• Fact sheets: naturally occurring issues in food
• Tackling food fraud
• Pass the Mic: talking about food recall communications
• Pass the Mic: talking about celiac disease