Kmart shopper's 'gross' find on Barbie Easter eggs: 'I'd expect better'
Numerous Aussie parents have complained about finding a white, chalky substance on their Easter eggs.
A Kmart shopper’s disappointing find on her kids’ Barbie-themed Easter eggs has highlighted a “gross” problem many Aussie parents say they also encountered over the holiday weekend.
The mum said her children woke up on Sunday eager to see what the Easter bunny had brought them, only to unwrap the colourful foil and discover their chocolate eggs covered in a white, chalky substance.
“It looks gross and I’d expect better when you pay so much,” she posted online alongside several photos of one of her children holding a discoloured egg and the Barbie packaging it came in. Similar products are listed for $8 on the retailer’s catalogue.
While several Facebook users assured the woman the treats are still “safe to eat”, they agreed they “didn’t taste the same” and are “not the cheapest eggs around”.
“[It] doesn’t make it okay though,” the mum added. Yahoo News has contacted Kmart for comment.
More parents experience 'powdery' chocolate eggs
Another parent commented that she had been forced to run around and replace all of her daughter’s eggs because they were “powdery, soft and chewy and just foul” — and she’s not the only one.
A third woman named Ash took to TikTok on Sunday night to complain that all of her children’s Easter Cadbury chocolate was white.
“Literally every single bunny we got, we had to go meet up with the Easter bunny and replace the chocolate,” she explained. “We stored it in a normal place…I thought maybe it had melted but no.”
Another Aussie said they had the same problem with chocolate Easter bunnies purchased from Coles.
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Why does Easter chocolate turn white?
The white substance is called “bloom” and is caused by the chocolate’s fats or sugar, Dr Nathan Kilah, a chemistry lecturer confirmed.
“Poorly controlled cooling of the melted chocolate results in other crystal forms, which tend to have a less pleasing look and mouth feel – often chalky or gritty,” he said. “These less desirable forms can convert during storage.”
As the crystal structure of the chocolate’s fats change, the separated fats collect on the surface as a white bloom. “This is especially noticeable if the chocolate is poorly stored and goes through melting and re-solidification,” he explained.
The ingredients can also affect fat bloom, which can be avoided by purchasing chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content, he added. Easter eggs should also be stored in a low temperature and humidity.
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