Help! My melatonin gummies turned into rocks - still safe?
Hey everyone, I bought a bottle of melatonin gummies about 2 months ago. I noticed they've gotten really hard and some have a white coating on them (sugar bloom I think?). Also a few are stuck together. Are they still safe to eat? I don't wanna waste em but also don't wanna get sick.
The white coating is likely sugar crystallization, not mold. The hardness is from moisture loss. They're probably safe, but efficacy might have decreased since melatonin degrades with time and exposure to air/humidity. If they smell off or have any visible mold, toss em. Otherwise, they're fine but maybe less potent.
I've had that happen with some gummies! I still ate them and they worked fine, just took a bit longer to kick in. If they're just hard and have sugar bloom, they're safe. But if you're worried, you can always buy a new bottle and use these as a backup. Better safe than sorry!
Actually, the texture change could be due to improper storage (heat or humidity). I'd check the expiration date first. If it's past, toss them. If not, you can try to rehydrate them by storing in a sealed bag with a slice of bread for a day - it might soften them. But honestly, melatonin is cheap. Just buy new ones and store them in a cool dark place.