The average American consumes approximately 11.7 pounds of chocolate each year.
Chocolate contains cocoa butter, a vegetable fat that is sensitive to heat and humidity.
Temperatures above 75 degrees will cause chocolate to melt. Preparation Tips Chocolate kept in the refrigerator may sweat when brought to room temperature and may not melt properly. The shelf life of chocolate is generally a year. Ingredients such as nuts will shorten the shelf life. Chocolate kept beyond 1 year may suffer flavor loss or texture changes.