If you are a fan of chocolate, Nutella is a must-have in your pantry. It is a hazelnut and cocoa spread, which can be eaten straight out of the jar on a teaspoon, spread thickly onto toast or enjoyed with strawberries.
For this reason, many people always have Nutella jars stacked up in their pantry but some people have been asking about white stuff on Nutella. If you opened a Nutella jar and saw some white spots, here is all the information you need!
What Is the White Stuff on Nutella?
Nutella is made up of at least 50% sugar, the rest is palm oil, hazelnuts, skimmed milk powder, reduced-fat cocoa, a small amount of emulsifier (this should keep the Nutella from separating), and vanillin flavoring.
Sometimes white spots are found in Nutella and these can be one of two things.
- Firstly, they are basically the palm oil blobs that have become separated from the rest of the chocolate mixture.
The part of Nutella that has been separated from the mixture and has formed palm oil blobs is safe to consume but often does not taste as good as the spread on its own. It is recommended to remove them or discard the jar.
Alternatively, spoon the contents of the jar into a bowl and blend the spread with a stick blender. This may help to mix everything together again.
- Secondly, sometimes the white spots that are formed in Nutella are called sugar bloom.
These spots are dry and do not melt when touched. Sugar bloom is the result of the spread being stored in a damp area like a refrigerator. The moisture collects on the surface of the chocolate and draws out the sugar.
When the moisture evaporates, it leaves white sugar crystals which appear in the Nutella as white spots. Even though the Nutella is still edible, some may not like the texture.
- Lastly, if the white spots appear in any way to be slimy, they may be mold. If you suspect this, discard the Nutella immediately.
Signs of Rancid Nutella
Nutella is made up of a good amount of palm oil and this means that it is susceptible to going rancid. If you have ruled out the white spots being sugar bloom or fat blobs, smell the Nutella.
If the spread smells rancid, it should be discarded. It may not necessarily be unsafe to eat but can cause stomach upsets and probably will not taste or smell good.
The rancidity can happen in two ways. Both ways will bring about the Nutella becoming rancid, and not only having a bad smell but it will not taste good either.
- Firstly, the fats and oils in Nutella oxidize. This is the process when they are broken up by oxygen in an adverse manner.
- Secondly, fats and oils hydrolyze. This is the chemical breakdown of the fats and oil due to a reaction with water.
The following signs will confirm a rancid spread:
1. Bad Smell and Taste
The first sign of rancid Nutella is that the smell is not pleasant at all. The normal smell is a delicious aroma of nuts and chocolate, so anything apart from that is probably rancidity.
When Nutella goes bad, the sweet, delicious taste is replaced by an undesirable one. Some people are new to the spread and are not aware of the real smell of Nutella.
This makes it challenging for them to determine if Nutella is safe or not. However, if you put your nose close to the Nutella (the actual spread rather than the jar), you will know that there is something off about the flavor.
Trust your nose!
2. Mold
Bacteria will grow in pretty much any food or drink. Nutella contains both nuts and dairy milk, both of which are highly susceptible to the growth of bacteria and mold.
Once it is suspected that the spread has mold, it is then better to discard the jar as it is a health hazard.
3. Texture
A common trait of Nutella going bad is a slow change in texture from soft, creamy, thick, and spreadable like peanut butter to hard and dry.
If your Nutella seems separated and grainy (sometimes the oil has separated from the other ingredients), it is better to discard it.
As said previously, Nutella is made with a combination of sugar, cocoa, skimmed milk, palm oil, hazelnuts and emulsifiers, and they don’t stay together for a long time.
So, if you don’t consume your jar quickly, all these ingredients start separating and the texture will become crumbly and hard rather than soft and spreadable. As if we needed an excuse to finish a jar of Nutella quickly!
Keeping your Nutella in Optimal Condition
Here are a few tips to bear in mind before consuming your jar of Nutella.
- Do not store this spread in the refrigerator as this will cause moisture and other contaminants to get into the jar and spoil this special treat. Rather store it in a cool, dry place such as the pantry.
- Do not use a dirty knife or spoon when taking a serving out of your jar of Nutella as this will cause contamination and probable mold.
- Do not consume this product if it smells off or tastes undesirable.
- Do check the ‘use by’ date before purchasing or consuming this product.
- Do check for white spots and sliminess before eating Nutella. It may be contaminated or not good to eat.
The Bottom Line
Do remember that even though Nutella contains saturated fat and sugar, it also supplies a good amount of key vitamins and minerals that you need for good health.
It is often said that chocolate is a mood lifter so spread a large amount of this on your slice of toast and lift your mood today!