Worms!

[SlowCook66]

Ok, I’m disgusted !!!!

9 months ago I had made some fudge and decided to keep a square to have a size reference. So I kept it on my kitchen counter. As the months went by all it did was dry up and sort of started changing color like bloom at some spots. But nothing else of irregular!

Today I decided to look at my 9 month fudge that was left on the counter, and I saw very very tiny little worms. So I obviously took it and put it in a plastic bag and disposed it in the garbage. I wiped clean the little plate it was in and washed all the counter.

No other worms were found anywhere else !

My question is, is this normal? And also, would this have happened had the fudge been in an air tight bag for 9 months ?

Also would this have happened if the same fudge was in an air tight bag in the freezer for 9 months !

Thanks for all feedback

 

[pepperhead212]

I doubt seriously this would happen in the freezer! And I would suggest cutting a piece of cardboard, wood, or something else imperishable, as a size reference.

 

[blissful]

Okay that is gross but really not so bad. All it takes is moist air and a moth comes in when someone opens the door. At night it flits around and somehow lands on the fudge, lays a few eggs. Fudge is a dry good, or a food source (who knows really) to a moth. It was undisturbed and the larvae feed on it and become worms.
I don't think it was a bug egg within the fudge because when you cooked it it became too hot for bugs to survive at any stage of life.

 

[taxlady]

Okay that is gross but really not so bad. All it takes is moist air and a moth comes in when someone opens the door. At night it flits around and somehow lands on the fudge, lays a few eggs. Fudge is a dry good, or a food source (who knows really) to a moth. It was undisturbed and the larvae feed on it and become worms.
I don't think it was a bug egg within the fudge because when you cooked it it became too hot for bugs to survive at any stage of life.

I was thinking pretty much the same thing, but I was thinking fruit flies, rather than moth.

 

[dragnlaw]

If you haven't seen any fruit flies in the kitchen/huose then I doubt it was them.

I was amongst the believers that thought they only survived 24/48 hours - but evidently it is 40 to 50 DAYS! That's a lot of possible eggs - no wonder people have a hard time to get rid of them.
ps, for me personally, tiny cups of apple cider (preferred) vinegar in the area does a good job. Those little take-away salad dressing shot cups. I don't bother with the drop of liquid soap.

 

[SlowCook66]

I was thinking pretty much the same thing, but I was thinking fruit flies, rather than moth.

This is highly probable …. It was a hot summer and yes I do see the odd fruit fly here and there

 

[SlowCook66]

Ok thanks for your feedbacks

 

[Andy M.]

Now we know that's not the best way to remember the size fudge squares you want. As suggested, paper and pencil and a ruler.

 

[SlowCook66]

Now we know that's not the best way to remember the size fudge squares you want. As suggested, paper and pencil and a ruler.

Yes yes I know but asides from the size reference I was curious to see how long it can be held intact on the counter for this product. Now I know this product can stay intact on counter room temperature for 9 months before parasites start forming. It’s not to mention that based on this test I don’t think it’s a good Idea to leave fudge out on the counter even for 2-3 months as maybe bacteria or baby worms might start forming after even 2 months.

 

[Andy M.]

Why wouldn't you refrigerate or freeze it?

 

[SlowCook66]

Why wouldn't you refrigerate or freeze it?

Cause it was a test and never intended to be eaten. I was also keeping it for 3D size and to see how long this could last on the counter without any warping

 

[Kathleen]

Did it have any sort of nuts in it? Even if you didn't, and this is something people do not wish to consider, there is an allowable level of contaminants such as maggots, insect eggs/parts, rat hairs, etc. as per the FDA. It can be unsettling if you dwell on it. Insect eggs are common in cocoa. Left on their own, they can hatch.

 

[SlowCook66]

Did it have any sort of nuts in it? Even if you didn't, and this is something people do not wish to consider, there is an allowable level of contaminants such as maggots, insect eggs/parts, rat hairs, etc. as per the FDA. It can be unsettling if you dwell on it. Insect eggs are common in cocoa. Left on their own, they can hatch.

View attachment 70412

 

[SlowCook66]

Well, I don’t want my clients to eat any contaminants that’s why we are working hard to adapt the necessary stabilizers and vacuum sealed packaging machines and also making sure my facility is super clean ! My gawd those things gross me out

 

[taxlady]

This is highly probable …. It was a hot summer and yes I do see the odd fruit fly here and there

The fact that it's fruit fly season was why I thought of them as a likely suspect.

 

[dragnlaw]

Fruit flies don't pay too much attention to the seasons. IMHO

 

[taxlady]

Fruit flies don't pay too much attention to the seasons. IMHO

It's true that you can have fruit flies invading any time of year. But, with the extra fresh fruit available in summer, I find that it's much more likely to get fruit flies in summer.

 

[SlowCook66]

If you haven't seen any fruit flies in the kitchen/huose then I doubt it was them.
View attachment 70411
I was amongst the believers that thought they only survived 24/48 hours - but evidently it is 40 to 50 DAYS! That's a lot of possible eggs - no wonder people have a hard time to get rid of them.
ps, for me personally, tiny cups of apple cider (preferred) vinegar in the area does a good job. Those little take-away salad dressing shot cups. I don't bother with the drop of liquid soap.

But is it ok to let fudge set on the counter for 48 hours ?

 

[blissful]

But is it ok to let fudge set on the counter for 48 hours ?

If it was for my family, and me, it might be okay on the counter for 48 hours. If it was going to be a product for sale, then there is no room for error and I'd cover it or vacuum seal it as soon as possible.

 

[SlowCook66]

If it was for my family, and me, it might be okay on the counter for 48 hours. If it was going to be a product for sale, then there is no room for error and I'd cover it or vacuum seal it as soon as possible.

You mean in 48 hours bacteria can form ?