Mouldy chocolates given as gift - would you contact the maker to tell them?

[BoobsOnTheMoon]

We were given a lovely looking box of handmade truffles by a very kind elderly relative. They have come from a very small independent maker local to said relative, who posted them to us last week.

DP just bit into one and it was green with mould all the way through (pic attached, absolutely definitely mould!)

They have no best before date and no ingredients list, but they're a Christmas themed box (mini Christmas pudding shapes etc) so I feel like they should have lasted at least until Christmas! The maker has a FB page and a very basic website but tbh I'm concerned that they're not sticking to food safety rules already with the lack of labelling, so who knows what they're doing food hygiene wise...

Would you bother contacting the maker to show them the mould and suggest they check their making process or adding best before dates? I really don't want to tell the relative who sent them as they will feel terrible and embarrassed about it and it's hardly their fault!

If the 'information gathering' found there was a slip of paper given or a sign stating 'should be kept at a temperature below x degrees' at that point you would have to start quizzing elderly relative as to where and how they stored them...

So I wouldn't be doing that, but if others wanted to do it then fine, I would imagine the business wouldn't be currently answering emails, not on Boxing Day anyway.

I didn't assume that. I said 'if', as it is an option.

If you want to contact them about the mould then just do so, ultimately people are just giving an opinion on what they'd do based on very limited information. We all really have no idea how inexperienced they are as chocolatiers, or not, how long they have worked in a food industry prior to this business starting or what EH visits and FH certificates they hold or do not.

If they were produced recently after all and are mouldy then I'd have thought the relative would at least want to get their refund and in so doing the seller will be made aware of the issue and be able to withdraw any others from the batch from sale and contact their customers. It may well be an issue with an ingredient from one of their suppliers, for which they will have kept a record if they are following guidelines and would want to know.

I was going to say it all seems quite a lot of investment for a mouldy chocolate on boxing day but here I am joining in 😂. I hope they get their money back at least, OP.

Definitely follow up with manufacturer and, if not satisfied, contact environmental health...

No, at that point I'd realise that the elderly relative had most likely not followed the instructions and that would be the end of the matter although obviously I would check any future food gifts carefully before biting into

They’re probably from last year. I don’t think chocolate goes off that quickly?

I knew I’d get to the end of the thread and OP wouldn’t have got into contact with them 🤣

We know they aren't as the business didn't just last Christmas

OP has confirmed they can't be...

It's Boxing Day what would be the point?

You could look the manufacturer up on here... www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk

So I've done more digging around on their website. As well as in pre packed selection boxes you can select your own chocolates to make up a box from a list of flavours. Nowhere on the whole website are any ingredient lists. You literally have no way to find out what's in them, other than emailing and asking. This is making me think that there probably wasn't an ingredients list included originally either!

Also, only by going into the FAQ section, can you find an instruction to "store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks". This isn't on the page where you can select or buy chocolates - I actually selected a box full and went all the way to the payment page to see what info was given at what stage, and it's just not mentioned unless you actively choose go to the FAQ page.

So I reckon they just don't provide this info with the chocolates. I'll email them tonight, and I suppose I should mention it to my relative in case they bought more for other people? It feels so awkward and ungrateful to say anything though 😕 But also so rank for DP to have bitten into that mouldy old lump 🤢 so I guess something has to be said! And as others have pointed out it's not safe for people with allergies.

I'm going to email them. It hardly makes any difference if I do it now or later, it's not like I'm expecting a reply until Wednesday at the earliest!

Trading standards might be a better bet than environmental health. Or local council consumer protection department.

I wouldn't bother emailing them

I'd email environmental health and get them to look into it in case they cover anything up first

OP I think you are as sure as you can be that it's not your relative that's at fault. I'd go to environmental health because it seems they're breaking all sorts of regs. They're there for a reason, and if they're not following basic stuff like having an ingredient declaration then I'd be worried what else they're not doing. Only the EHO is able to investigate that.

I’d also go to environmental health. Sounds like a home business gone wrong to me!

We don't know they're sold online though? The OP said it was local to their relative and their relative was the one who posted them.

I have since clarified that relative will have bought them in person but that they are also sold online (but without ingredients being listed there either).

I've emailed them a photo and asked if labels were missing. I'll report back when I get a reply!

A possible re-gift?
A too far in advance purchase?
Improperly stored prior to sending to you, or heat fluctuations in transit?
Regardless, I doubt the maker is at fault.
I'd throw it away and not tell auntie. 🤷‍♀️

Have you actually read any of my subsequent posts?

And why are people assuming it's an aunt? At least two posters so far have referred to my aunt, but I haven't specified what sort of relative they are!

1. Just looked. Too many and too long.
2. Can't answer for others here. Dunno?

No need to get upset with me for offering some thoughts. I had no intention of offending you. I think you might just be angry about the chocolate and do seem to be quite invested in sorting this out. Sorry, (I guess?) for mistaking your "elderly relative" for an aunt. I hope fgs I didn't offend that person, too. I'm curious why others thought so too now!

I would tell relative in case they bought them for other people

I would tell your relative so that they don’t buy from this business again and can pass on info to anyone else they bought similar chocolates for as a gift. The business is likely someone who has opened up an amateur home business and hasn’t followed any food regulations. This can be dangerous and needs reporting to the local council’s environmental health department so they can check on the business. It also looks like there is a hair on the piece on the right at the top. I’m always dubious of these Facebook home food businesses as anyone can set one up without checks on hygiene etc.

The marmalade probably had too high a water content or not enough sugar as the preserve, which is common in homemade and why it often goes mouldy.

The maker doesn't sound overly professional so I'd be worried about more than the mould tbh. Definitely contact them and depending on the response, I'd also be getting in touch with their local EHO.

Wow, I am surprised at the level of investment on this thread in "sorting out" a dodgy Christmas present from a relative. Surely most people in reality would just chuck the chocolates away and get on with their lives?