Will eating fuzzy chocolate harm you?

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Um, I know this is a weird question, but here goes:

Bought a package of Hershey's with almonds today. Supposedly for after the rollover, but couldn't stand it and opened one after dinner. Eating it in the semi-darkness of the computer room, but noticed it tasted a little "off". Looked more closely at it and realized it had this white fuzzy/stringy stuff on it. Real light, nothing covering it or anything. Also the chocolate was really, how do I put it, crumbly. Texture was different. Not a WHOLE lot, just enough to notice. Noticed there was a contest inside the outer wrapper and looked for a deadline for the contest: 3/31/99. Hmmmmm. Wanted to do a Y2K food test and decided to wipe away the little bit of white stringy stuff and eat the rest of it (was 2/3 gone anyway). Didn't taste BAD, just off.

So how old was this chocolate anyway? A year? 18 months? Usually you have quite a bit of time on deadlines for contests....and this one ended in March. I am going back to the grocery store with the other 5 bars in the package and my receipt.

And my question: can this cause any harm, or do I just have a little natural penicillin in me now?

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999

Answers

It's NOT a good thing for chocolate to have stringy things on/in it! It usually means you have chocolate worms in the stuff. I'd pitch it if I were you. On the other hand, if the chocolate just has a whitish outer coating, that's OK; just means the cocoa butter has risen to the outside. Hope this helps....also, that you're alright!!! 8)

-- justme (justme@myhouse.com), December 20, 1999.

Can't get the funny taste outta my mouth, either. (Oh my God, is that what Monica Lewinsky said? Sorry, couldn't resist.)

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

Hey Just me, you pretty accurately described the things on my chocolate. Now what? (And ok, is this where I admit I ate one BEFORE the one where I noticed? Looking sheepish.....)

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

The grey stuff is called bloom and it will not hurt you. Something to do with the butter separating from the cocoa. I have an article about this bookmarked somewhere and if I find it I will post more information.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), December 20, 1999.

Chocolate worms?! OMG IMA GONNA HURL

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), December 20, 1999.


Carol: I've seen bloom. This wasn't bloom. It was stringy and whitish and slightly fuzzy. Like light little fuzz strings.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

Just me: more info on chocolate worms, please? Never heard of this.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

Monica [preparing] or whoever:

"or do I just have a little natural penicillin in me now?" Penicillin; unlikely. I have never read about anyone dieing from eating fungally infected chocolate bars [I have worked in this area for years]. Of course, you could be the first. I sure wouldn't eat it; but that is your choice. Now this flu is another thing!!!

Best wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 20, 1999.


The chocolate worms won't KILL you...they just don't make for a very appetizing ending to a snack ;) I wouldn't worry about it too much; just be sure you check your stash and get rid of any that are stringy. I'd never heard about them either until a few years ago. Keep all chocolate products in a well- sealed container and in a cool, dark area. The cocoa butter will seperate out as I said, but that won't hurt you. Sorry about making anyone *hurl*....but, don't want any of you to get sick from your preps either.

-- justme (justme@myhouse.com), December 20, 1999.

I think it has something to do with Hershey's SAP PROBLEM. THE STUFF IS NOT y2k COMPLIANT.

-- Polly-Morphic Doomer (vission441@aol.com), December 20, 1999.


Whew, what a relief! I DO think it is quite ironic that it happened with a HERSHEY'S bar. They obviously have been on the shelf for quite some time. Yech.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

...and to think I was worried about Y2k (Y2K), Global International Terrorism (GIT), and the Heartbreak of Psoriasis (HoP). Now there's Fuzzy Chocolate Worms (FCW). How much more, O Lord?

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), December 20, 1999.

Im"Here: LOL! Sorry to add to your consternation. However, I have learned that fuzzy chocolate is easy to avoid, just look at the damn things before shoving into mouth as I did! ;-)

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

You think THIS is a drama, go search a few threads to Roland being without water for eight hours, having to drink his "stash", and wear a cap to work!

-- Few and far between (Neededagood@laugh.com), December 20, 1999.

Why not mix in the fuzzy chocolate when you slop the hogs?

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), December 20, 1999.


I'm Here....do you *really* want to know???

-- justme (justme@myhouse.com), December 20, 1999.

Yes, just me, I do. Especially if I just ate some!Don't worry, I am not easily grossed out, as evidenced by the fact that I wiped the fuzzy strings off the last 1/3 of the bar and finished it before wondering...hmmmmm? What was that stuff? (TRUE chocoholic, I am!)

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

Feed the bag to your dog, if the dog dies, then your in trouble too.

-- test it first (testfirst@testfirstttt.xcom), December 20, 1999.

Preparing...

.....May as well get used to it, for all that have stored flour, rather than grain/grinder... you'll be sifting live worms out of your bread-making materials soon enough.

-- Patrick (pmchenry@gradall.com), December 20, 1999.


"...eating fuzzy chocolate"?

Choco-bunny, where are you?

-- (cavscout@fix.net), December 20, 1999.


No, no, thank you all for your concern. I think I'm alright now. I've come to terms with it. But I suppose I should check that case of "Cup O' Maggots" I got just to make sure that nothing's spoiled.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), December 20, 1999.

Nah, Patrick, I froze the flour to kill the adult buggies, then defrosted it to bring out the larvae in hibernation, then re-froze the flour to kill the new generation. That took care of them.

BTW, in case anyone is wondering, the little tiny buggies sometimes found in flour/corn meal, etc really isn't harmful.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.


On a semi-serious note:

BTW, in case anyone is wondering, the little tiny buggies sometimes found in flour/corn meal, etc really isn't harmful.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

Very correct. They're really not harmful at all. We used to call them "spice bugs" when I lived in south Florida. If one gets in, it gets in. It's more an esthetic thing than anything else. But you never notice them, and they're actually an infintesmal amount of protein if you want to think of it that way. In south Florida, you especially never notice them when you live around "palmetto bugs" (read: giant humongous cockroaches) that'll wrestle you three falls out of five to get your slice of pizza.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), December 20, 1999.


Yes, of course "preparing," it also adds vital protein to the diet.

-- pillsbury dough boy (pillsburhydougyboy@pillsburydoughboyyy.xcom), December 20, 1999.

To check the date on Hershey product look at the back side of the bar and you will see 2 lines of code numbers the second line is the one that reveals the date code. Such as 9L would represent the year 1999 and the L would represent the month December. 0A would be 2000 January, 0B 2000 February etc. About the "critter" in the bar. This is more than likely the Indian meal worm. They travel very well in dry pet food and bird seed then spread to whatever they take a liking to. Especially like granola, grain, dried fruit&nuts, etc. I just went through a disheartening episode with my sister-in-law who lost a great deal of her y2k stores due to infestation. I suspect the little buggers came in on some birdseed she had stored next to the pantry. Check your supplies and if you suspect a problem checkout www.insectslimited.com for a product called Pantry Patrol. It is a phermone trap that will attract the male moths. Well worth the investment, I bought them locally for about $15. Sorry for the lengthy response but with so many of us stocking our pantrys thought it may be of interest.

-- ssoder (ssoder@velocity.net), December 20, 1999.

CHOCOLATE IS POISONOUS TO DOGS!!!! Just in case you didn'y know....and someone needs to kick the persons ass who suggested feeding it to a dog. };-\

-- Satanta (EventHoriz@n.com), December 21, 1999.

Mister/Mistress. I am there/everywhere. In Florida, bugs and such, LOL, and LMAO, at one point ROFLMASO! Thank you for Humor! Haven't had much, for a long while. We live only as long as we shall live. And my life ends, whenever. But in the meantime, I am ROTFLMAO!!!

-- Simply Human (ThankHeavenf@orhumor.com), December 21, 1999.

Yes, I've always heard that chocolate and dogs not a good mix. But all sorts of people I know feed their dogs chocolate and they laugh at me. Was in Scotland in August and in one of the pubs there was this dog that comes everyday with his master for his Mars Bar. Looked nice and healthy to me. Hummm....

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), December 21, 1999.

You all need lots of professional help.

ROTFLMAO...

oops milk is now pouring out my nose but no white stringy stuff.

-- Squid (ItsDark@down.here), December 21, 1999.


1) Smear chocolate bar on wall until free of fuzzy worms.
2) Chocolate is good.
3) If wall has been painted with lead-based substance, refrain from step 1.

In all seriousness, I don't recommend eating fungus, mold or various parasites unless you are really, really desperate and you don't mind being not regular.

-- mil (millenium@yahoo.com), December 21, 1999.


Dogs do not like alkaloids-(theobromine) which is in chocolate.

-- richard shockwave (vission441@aol.com), December 21, 1999.

Hey mil, I just wiped the white stringy stuff off w/my fingers, then ate it. Only started wondering about the stuff AFTER. Now that I think of it, probably not a good survival technique. I have learned my lesson--LOOK at everything you eat.

I must say, though, it has been more than 12 hours, and I feel perfectly fine.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 21, 1999.


Chocolate worms add protein to the diet. Eat all old chocolate in the dark from now on. What you don;t know (see) can;t hurt ya...;-)

-- ..- (dit@dot.dash), December 21, 1999.

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