I’d recently seen several viral videos showing the bending of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars, sparking a lot of discussion. Shouldn’t chocolate snap? Why are Hershey's bars bending? Did Hershey’s change their recipe?
Is Hershey’s Selling Fake Chocolate?
Technically, no. Hershey’s is not selling fake chocolate. In the United States, according to the code of Federal Regulations, in order for a product to be labeled “milk chocolate,” it must contain a minimum of 10% chocolate liquor (cocoa butter + cocoa solids,) 12% milk solids and 3.39% milk fat.
Did Hershey’s Change Their Recipe?
In combing through Hershey’s Community Archives, I was able to understand the history of their packaging changes beginning with their original chocolate bar, dating back to 1900. In 1973, Hershey’s began including a nutrition label on their bars that included the ingredients listing. The ingredient label showed: Milk Chocolate, Soy Lecithin (an emulsifier) and Vanillin (a flavoring agent.) Milk chocolate was listed as sugar, milk, cocoa butter and chocolate.
The recipe stayed consistent for decades, with several packaging changes along the way. Then, in 2010, I noticed the introduction of a new ingredient on the label, PGPR.
What is PGPR in Chocolate and Where does it Come From?
PGPR, also known as Polyglyceryl Polyricinoleate, is a castor oil derived emulsifier that helps improve the flowability of chocolate. I’m familiar with the ingredient as a cosmetic chemist, as PGPR is a functional ingredient that can be used in skin care formulation to create moisturizers. In chocolate, however, PGPR is used to improve product costs through manufacturing efficiency in addition to reducing the amount of cocoa butter needed in a final formula. PGPR is liquid at room temperature versus cocoa butter that is solid. With an impact to overall melt point as well as a reduction in the need for cocoa butter, chocolate becomes less brittle and more pliable, or what many are describing as “rubbery.”
Is PGPR in Chocolate Safe?
According to a 2017 safety assessment conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a re-evaluation of PGPR as a food additive determined that the ingredient is safe when used within max permitted levels. Under EU guidance, the max use level for chocolate and cocoa products is 0.5%. Under the FDA, PGPR is regulated through the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) notification process, where the max limit in chocolate is 0.5%.
Cosmetic Chemist Point of View
I’ve been seeing a lot of false information on TikTok as well as most social media platforms, and wanted to share an objective perspective. Cosmetic and chocolate formulations have a lot of overlaps so I enjoy investigating these headlines. Although I will say I miss earlier versions of Hershey’s bars, as I’m sure many do.