It’s a treat loved by chocolate fiends across the UK – but it turns out you’ve probably been eating Maltesers wrong this entire time.
Many of us nibble off the outer chocolate before devouring the centre, or suck the treat without chewing.
However, Megan Rushman, associate product development scientist at Mars, claims there’s a better technique.
She says that for optimal enjoyment, you should pop the entire treat in your mouth whole, before crunching down.
This results in better coverage of your palate, and provides a ‘multi–sensory experience’.
‘While the malt interior is undeniably tasty, it actually serves a clever purpose,’ Ms Rushman explained.
‘It helps break down the chocolate, preventing that sticky, hard–to–clean feeling you get on the roof of your mouth from a solid piece of chocolate.
‘It’s the unique texture and balance between the chocolate and the malt centre that makes the sweet treat so iconic and loved by so many.’
It’s a treat loved by chocolate fiends across the UK – but it turns out you’ve probably been eating Maltesers wrong this entire time
Maltesers were created by Forrest Mars Sr back in 1936, before going on sale the following year, marketed as ‘energy balls’.
Fast forward to today, and a whopping 187 million Maltesers treats are sold every year.
That’s the equivalent of six every second!
However, how to eat the treat remains a matter of contention.
A new poll of 2,000 Maltesers fans found that more than half (53 per cent) of Brits suck the treats without chewing.
Meanwhile, more than a quarter (26 per cent) like to nibble off the outer chocolate before eating the malt interior.
Instead, Ms Rushman advises that you should eat the treats whole.
This not only stimulates your taste receptors through the distribution of flavour, but also triggers your auditory senses through the sound of the crunch, she says.
Many of us nibble off the outer chocolate before devouring the centre, or suck the treat without chewing. However, Megan Rushman, associate product development scientist at Mars, claims there’s a better technique
The new advice comes shortly after researchers from Oxford University revealed the best way to eat a Chocolate Digestive.
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Chocolate side up or down? Scientist reveals the best way to eat a Chocolate Digestive – and claims you should pick up the biscuit with the topping on the top, but FLIP it over before you eat it
According to the experts, you should pick up the biscuits with the chocolate side up, but flip them over before eating them.
This allows the brain to register the chocolate coating, while flipping them before eating maximises the ‘oral–somatosensory experience’ of the chocolate melting on the tongue.
‘Which side up a half–coated chocolate biscuit should be eaten is a topic that’s been hotly debated, which is why we wanted to get to the bottom of the million dollar question,’ said Oxford University food scientist Professor Charles Spence.
‘My research suggested that whilst there are merits in both ways, holding the biscuit chocolate side up first to maximise the visual experience and then switching it over as the biscuit is brought toward the mouth provides the best multi–sensory experience.’
The findings come as Maltesers White Chocolate hits supermarket shelves.
The best way to eat a Chocolate Digestive biscuit
1. Remove the biscuit from the packet at room temperature
2. Bring it towards your mouth with the chocolate side facing up
3. As you go to take a bite, turn the biscuit over so the chocolate is facing down
4. Take a substantial bite with the chocolate directly hitting the tongue first
5. If you’re by yourself, eat initially with the mouth open to hear the crunching of the biscuit which makes the taste sensation more memorable
6. Chew slowly after the first few mouthfuls to maximise the full taste experience