Is it safe to eat chocolate which was molten within a plastic wrapping?

December 8, 2010 4:06 AM

[Can-I-eat-this-filter] I left a piece of chocolate in a plastic wrapping on a place where it got too hot. The chocolate in it melted completely, the plastic did not. However, another piece of plastic, lying beneath it, started to melt. The chocolate reached maybe 60-70 degrees celsius. Are there any harmful toxins which may have migrated into the chocolate at this temperature?

Bonus question: How do I clean re-solidified plastic from a metal surface?

posted by Triton to food & drink (7 answers total)

1. From a lover of good chocolate - no chocolate is worth eating after that kind of treatment. Regardless of potential toxicity, it likely just won't taste so good enough to merit.

2. Depending on the finish of the metal surface, a scrub-pad, 'scotch-brite', used lightly, should do the trick.
posted by From Bklyn at 5:01 AM on December 8, 2010

totally do not eat it.
posted by molecicco at 5:24 AM on December 8, 2010

Thanks for the answers. I'll discard the tortured chocolate, just ordered a new one.
posted by Triton at 6:41 AM on December 8, 2010

I wouldn't make a habit of eating things that had been near melted plastic. I certainly wouldn't eat the portion of anything that directly contacted plastic.

That said, all things in moderation. Especially if it still smells/tastes good.
posted by pjaust at 6:41 AM on December 8, 2010

Find another piece of chocolate. Eat that.
posted by endless_forms at 6:56 AM on December 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

On the upside: If you eat it and something happens, you might get an illness named after you and make helpful contributions to science.
posted by autoclavicle at 9:54 AM on December 8, 2010 [2 favorites]

It was a gift, the giving person might ask my opinion of it, so I first thought it might be better not to throw it away. But as From Bklyn pointed out, the taste will most likely not be the same anymore. As I said, I ordered a new piece.

On the upside: If you eat it and something happens, you might get an illness named after you and make helpful contributions to science.
Tempting. Maybe in twenty years the heated-plastic-considered-harmful theory would have seen the light of the day? If you're that interested, I could sent the old piece to you. For science and the greater good.
posted by Triton at 11:59 AM on December 8, 2010