Level: Novice
Read Time: 5 minutes
Hello! I'm wondering your thoughts on COVID-19 and chocolate tempering preparation. From what I can read, 140 degrees is the safest temperature for food prep to kill viruses, but we don't want that for melting chocolate. any thoughts on food safety?
I want to start off saying that I really wanted to put out a post saying something like “now that you are shut in due to the virus, it is a great time to hunker down, dig into those new hobbies….and might I suggest chocolate making”….but even I, social recluse and occasionally socially clueless curmudgeon want to be that I am, am not quite THAT clueless.
With a count of over a couple dozen various related emails about COVID-19 (BTW, did you know that stands for COrona Virous Disease 2019?) it is very much worth talking about.
First off, since Chocolate Alchemy is not business generally open to the public and isn’t a restaurant, we are and suspect will continue to remain open. And just to lay it out there, I want to reassure everyone we are taking all measures and following CDC guidelines – of course, right?
With that, let’s jump into the question and hit the top layer. To date, there are no cases or evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted via food. It requires a human host. So really, at this point, we really could end this, but it is worth it to keep going.
Heating food to 140 F/60 F for 30 minutes is the generally recommended kill curve for most infectious pathogens….but not all and to date, I can’t find any data that it would 100% be effective on this coronavirus. Should it be? Yes. Can we say for certain? No.
Next, it does not seem to be showing to spread randomly. It does not just shed like many viruses. It requires that it be carried in water droplets or on surfaces those droplets evaporated from. This is great news in that as you and no one in your chocolate making lab are coughing or sneezing AND you are washing your hands before touching anything the chances of transmission are incredibly low. And should you discover someone was coughing or sneezing or just was not washing their hands before making chocolate then get gloved up and make sure what you touch or touches your chocolate is well washed. But even so, see above about the lack of transmission through food.
But IF you have concerns about the safety of your chocolate, for goodness sakes, just don’t distribute it!!! It would be horrible that you become the exception that proves the rule about food transmission, right? RIGHT!!
That is the practical. I want to talk theory and chocolate now.
Why would you say you don’t want to heat your chocolate to 140 F? We roast over 230 F and chocolate in the melanger can often reach over 140 F. This is totally normal. Nothing magically happens when the chocolate is done that you can’t heat it back up if you want. So if it will set your mind at rest, go right ahead and heat your chocolate to 140 F for 30 minutes or even 165 F for instant pasteurization and then get cooling it. No harm, no foul, and you should be good to go. But!!!! If you are heating your chocolate because you have infection concerns you need to again think long and hard why you have those concerns and are you 100% sure that even if you make the chocolate safe (beating this horse hard – this heating may or may NOT be effective on coronavirus) are you likewise sure you are not going to just re-contaminate it after it cools back off? Did you or someone touch any of your equipment that has not been fully cleaned? Can you account for every surface as it CAN live on surfaces, after getting there via water droplets or hands that had droplets on them. Did you wash your hands and then pick up your phone before sanitizing your phone? There are so many paths to infection which is one of the reasons this is a big deal. This is very much a ‘if in doubt, throw it out’ scenario.
We all need to stick together and get through this together. Where you are safe to do it, please visit local businesses and support them. The economic trickledown effect is likely to be hard but I’m confident we can make it together. Shopping online is great but local is better economically IMO (again done safely). With that, it is worth a mention about the COVID-19 bunny in the header here. That was made by Jeff Shepard of Lillie Belle chocolate. I hear they are closing up voluntarily tomorrow but will remain open for online sales and local pick ups…..you might need a special bunny for the times (note, at the moment the COVID-19 bunnies are not for sale but if there is demand…..I suggest you reach out to Jeff if you want one) Yes, this shit is really serious, but honestly, a good sense of humor when NOT at someone else’s expense will help us get through. Smile. Share. Bond but try not to be angry. We are literally all in this together. Let’s help and support each other where we can (safely of course). Ok? And with that, I’m going suggest when you are shopping on-line, how about steering away from Amazon and steering toward those small stores where EVERY SINGLE SALE can make a difference. People are genially scared this might put them out of business.
With all that, I want to ask you out there what can Chocolate Alchemy do to help you?
So really, that is all I have about this. Just play it smart and cautious, and if in doubt, don’t distribute your chocolate.