Shopper Worried After Noticing Weird White Spots in Reese’s Chocolate Eggs — but Doctor Says It’s Safe

“My mama always says life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get,” Forrest Gump famously says in the movie of the same name. True to the dialogue, you never know what you’re going to get when unboxing a chocolate. And sometimes, the visual may be “strange white specks” that many people have been noticing on their chocolates lately. Tons of people are tossing away their favorite chocolates in the trash bin due to these unpleasing whitish spots that are not just gross but blatantly off-putting.

Referring to one such video, Doctor Karan Rajan (@drkaranrajan) debunked the myth about these white spots, telling people that they are nothing to worry about. It’s something called “chocolate bloom.” And the doctor’s advice for dealing with this blooming chocolate is to “eat it quickly.” “Wtf is that in my Reese’s egg?” said the person in the video with whom Doctor Rajan stitched his explanation. The video displays the brownish innards of a cracked chocolate butter egg, which seem to have developed a weird webbed pattern of whitish spots. However, the doctor said, he wouldn’t throw this chocolate away, because these white markings don’t indicate any spoilage.

“When chocolate is exposed to any moisture, the sugar will dissolve in the water. Eventually, when the moisture evaporates, the sugar will recrystallize, but won’t form the same smooth structure it had originally. Instead, you’ll get this white, grainy texture known as ‘sugar bloom.’” Crediting the background clip to a memes account @repostlocker, the doctor explains that these white spots can be caused by yet another type of chocolate bloom called “fat bloom.” Fat bloom happens when “the cocoa butter in the chocolate, the fatty component, melts when exposed to higher temperatures.” 

“Eventually, when the chocolate cools down again, the fat will also recrystallize, but again in a different form. So this time you’ll get a whitish layer on the chocolate surface,” Rajan said. Continuing the video, the doctor also explored the possibility that these white blemishes could be clues to tiny eggs laid by insects inside the chocolate. “This is unlikely to be an insect egg, because insects like highly perishable foods like fruits or vegetables. They are less likely to get attracted to things like chocolate, which usually have preservatives added to them. […] All chocolates, when left long enough, will probably develop fat or sugar bloom.”

“Chocolates that look like this are very safe to eat, but they might have a slightly different taste and maybe, slightly less delicious,” he clarified, and added, “My advice is if you buy a chocolate, eat it quickly, for science, of course!” The doctor’s explanation landed as a surprise in many people's minds. “Forbidden chocolate,” as he calls it. @xpik4chu3 even imagined that these were some miniature fragments of a dinosaur’s bone marrow. But as it seems, these white blotches aren’t shards of fossilized bones. In fact, these spots can turn your chocolate tastier than ever. “Every time my dark chocolate gets that fat bloom thingy, it just tastes so much better,” shared @radiergummiplasticbenji.

Several others spun quippy tales around this concept of “chocolate blooms.” @bdwalie said, “If it doesn't move, eat it. If it does move, eat it too for extra protein!” Breathing a sigh of relief after the doctor’s revelation, another chocolate-eater, @mccabe9743, declared, “Conducting scientific research now.” Thanks to the doctor and these wacky white things, chocolate lovers are now working as part-time researchers, for science, of course!

You can follow Doctor Karan Rajan (@drkaranrajan) on Instagram for medical advice and health tips.