Does cocoa powder go bad? This could be the first question mark on top of your head when you think of chocolate minus the butter fats after quite some time of having that last dose. Has it been a month or so? And then you have that crazy moment when you put on your mufflers and thick jacket then find yourself craving for a hot chocolate on such a very cold morning or a freezing night. You quite remember that you had a can of cocoa powder somewhere in the house. But, do not throw the caution away with the wind and gobble that tempting powder right up if you don’t want to get a stomachache or even something worse. Go back to the first sentence of this paragraph. And learn a bit of cocoa powder storage.
How to Store?
Cocoa powder has high fat content, which means that its shelf life can easily be affected by the method of storage. In other words, your way of keeping it when it’s not in use can make or break the sweet recipes you were planning to get going in the kitchen, not to mention that hot chocolate you’ve been craving about.
The first thing you should remember is that humidity is the villain of every cocoa powder story. So, don’t expose too long in any place below 30-degree Celsius. Store it on an airtight, well-sealed plastic or glass container. Wherever you put the container, make sure it’s dry, cool, and well ventilated. The least place you would think of is the refrigerator, unless you want it lost its magic.
Shelf Life
Now that you’ve stored the cocoa powder in the right place, how long will it stay with you and help you sprinkle sweets on your hot beverage every morning, or some love on that cake you’ve baked for your little girl? Because you keep it away from humidity and maintain its moisture content at a low level, its shelf life can last up to three years. In fact, when left unopened in a container that’s vacuum-sealed, it could keep almost indefinitely! But then again, you to open it up as often as your craving go really upsetting. This long shelf life of it is what has added an appeal to it for a lot of chefs around the world.
How to Tell if It’s Spoiled
Cocoa powder can’t last forever because of two things: you have either indulge in it or it has gone really bad. The first reason tells you you’re chocolate addiction can get you everywhere as long as cocoa is involved. On the other hand, when you left it to rot on itself, well, you might have just forgotten you have one bottle of it somewhere in your cupboard. You know the signs of the first reason well enough. What you need to know is how you’re going to determine whether your bottle of cocoa powder is still safe to mix with everything or not. Here are the signs to watch out:
- The easiest way to tell if it has been spoiled is through the odor. So when your nose sniffs a weird, unpleasant smell, your cocoa powder is for off-putting.
- Sugar bloom happens when sugar has started to crystallize. This is a result if the powder has been exposed to its enemy-humidity. It can also be a result of moving it from a cold to a hot temperature.
- You have to check the label the manufacturer has put on. Expiration dates are always on the container. Trust the maker.
- Taste a pinch or less so you can be alerted for any off or rancid tastes. Non-cocoa flavors and a strong bitterness are warnings that the cocoa powder has been exposed too long to deserve the trash can. Moreover, if you have put the container somewhere full of spices, it can get the taste of the onions, garlic or any other spices.
Summary
Does cocoa powder go bad? Absolutely, it does when you open and reopen the container. Of course, you won’t be able not to. After all, you bought it so you don’t have to suffer holding your cravings for a little pinch of powder on your hot chocolate in a very cold morning or a freezing night.