Let’s be honest. Many of us have eaten something past its expiry date. After all, if it’s just a day or a week…or two, it shouldn’t matter because expiration dates are just recommendations right? It’s still edible as long as it smells alright. But what would happen if you ate a 120-year-old chocolate bar?
Recently, staff from the National Library of Australia discovered a chocolate bar dating back all the way to the Boer War (1899 – 1902). Surprisingly, the confectionary bar which belonged to Andrew Barton “Banjo” Paterson was found still intact with minimal decay, as reported by news.com.au.
In fact, ABC even describes the six-finger Cadbury chocolate bar as “unmolested after more than a century, but still looked – almost – good enough to eat.” The chocolate still had remnants of its old straw packaging and silver foil wrapping too!
But appearances aside, “there was quite an interesting smell when they were unwrapped,” said National Library of Australia (NLA) conservator, Jennifer Todd. Further research into the origin of the chocolate bar’s owner revealed that the special chocolate was actually a gift from Queen Victoria to Boer War troops at the turn of the century.
In a note that was found along with the tin of chocolate inscribed with the phrases, “South Africa, 1900” and “I wish you a happy New Year, Victoria RI”, it was written, “I have just received a box of chocolate, Her Majesty’s present to the South African soldiers…there is such a demand for them by the officers and everybody else, as mementoes,” read the note that belonged to Banjo Paterson.
He was shipped out to South Africa in October 1899 as a war correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age. Paterson is suspected to have bought the chocolate tin from troops who served and sent it back to Australia to preserve it from the heat of South Africa.
We’re not sure if we’re more disgusted or fascinated that this chocolate has been kept intact for so long. What do you guys think about this?Â
