Chocolate is one of the few products with a limit at both ends. In heat the surface melts and loses its shape; in damp or swinging temperatures a white film forms on it. Either way the product looks spoiled to the buyer.
Why it blooms
| Bloom | How it forms |
|---|---|
| Fat | As the temperature rises, cocoa butter melts and recrystallises on the surface; the stable form V is replaced by form VI |
| Sugar | Moisture condensing on the surface dissolves the sugar, which stays as crystals when it dries |
A retail study from Ghana reports that 30 °C and above causes both kinds of bloom and that 20 °C and below is recommended. So instead of chilling the product, hold its temperature steady. GEBHARDT's Isotec TBX container works with eutectic plates of different melting points; choose the plate melting point for chocolate together with Aris Makina, based on the product and the route.
Summer routine
Keep the container away from the sunlit wall of the vehicle, move deliveries to the early morning and do not leave the product on a warm counter at the store. Photograph the packaging and surface at receipt; if bloom is present, set the lot aside and keep its records.
