Fresh Milk Goes Bad Quicker Than You Think
Here’s something that might surprise you: spoiled milk has a distinct sour odor, which is due to lactic acid produced by bacteria, and this can happen days before the printed date on your carton. Pasteurization can’t kill all the bacteria, and those that remain will continue to grow, eventually causing the milk to spoil. Even when your milk carton says it’s good for another five days, your nose might tell you otherwise. The thing is, temperature changes from being left out too long or stored in the fridge door can speed up the process dramatically. Warm temperatures allow bacteria to grow, spoiling the milk. Think of milk as that one friend who promises they’ll be fine but then calls you an hour later asking for a ride home – sometimes reliable, sometimes not.
Cottage Cheese Has a Surprisingly Short Lifespan
After you buy a tub of cottage cheese at the grocery store, you should eat it within two weeks, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Once you’ve opened the container, it should be thrown out after one week. Here’s the kicker: cottage cheese should be disposed of after two weeks from purchase, whether or not you’ve had a chance to open it. This protein-packed dairy product is like a ticking time bomb in your fridge. Sour cream and cottage cheese usually have a relatively short shelf life (generally 7 to 10 days after they have been opened). The high moisture content creates a perfect playground for bacteria, making it one of those items you definitely don’t want to push past its limits.
Yogurt Spoils Faster Than Most People Realize
“Because spoilage bacteria is present in yogurt, it will spoil easily,” says Nielsen who recommends getting your probiotics from Bio-K+, which is probiotic supplement packaged in a sterile environment with no spoilage bacteria, if you won’t be consuming your yogurt soon after purchase. It’s ironic, really – a product made with “good” bacteria can go bad so quickly because it’s already full of living microorganisms. While your milk and yogurt might turn sour after only a week, a stick of butter or block of hard cheese will typically last much longer. The live cultures that make yogurt healthy for you are the same ones that can turn it into a science experiment if you’re not careful. Don’t trust the expiry date completely – your senses are your best guide here.
Cream Cheese Can Go Rancid Before You Know It
An open tub or foil-wrapped cream cheese lasts 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the brand. Some sellers are quite conservative and suggest a fairly short 7-day period, while other sources say you can freely keep open cream cheese for up to two weeks. This is a dairy product we’re talking about, and these aren’t known for their longevity and predictability regarding shelf life. That means cream cheese can just as well go bad a week before the date on the label if it was mishandled before it found its way to the refrigerated section in the grocery store. The rich, creamy texture that makes cream cheese perfect for bagels also makes it vulnerable to bacterial growth. Dairy products, which don’t last that long and spoil easily, need extra attention in your fridge.
Buttermilk Turns Faster Than Regular Milk
Buttermilk is already tangy by design, which makes it tricky to tell when it’s actually gone bad versus just being its naturally sour self. Buttermilk is low-fat (it generally contains between 1 and 3% m.f.) yet adds a lovely richness to the ricotta. The cultured nature of buttermilk means it’s packed with active bacteria that can quickly turn from helpful to harmful. Using buttermilk: I’m pretty sure you’re thinking, “But I never have buttermilk in the fridge!” I don’t either… but I have it in the freezer! I need a 1/2 cup of buttermilk once in a while to make some of my favorite recipes, so I’ve taken the habit of freezing store-bought cultured buttermilk, so I always have it on hand. Smart bakers know to freeze it precisely because it spoils so quickly. If your buttermilk starts smelling like feet instead of just tangy, it’s time to say goodbye.
Ricotta Cheese Has One of the Shortest Shelf Lives
Like sour cream or cream cheese, cottage cheese has a short shelf life after it is made (about seven to ten days). Storing it in the refrigerator may seem obvious to prolong its shelf life. Homemade cottage cheese lasts for about 5-7 days in the refrigerator, and ricotta falls into this same category. Finally, like any dairy product, your cottage cheese will go bad if you don’t eat it in time. Fortunately, it’s easy to tell the quality of the cheese by the sniff test. If it smells sour or foul, it’s definitely past its prime and time to toss it. Ricotta’s delicate, creamy texture is both its blessing and its curse – it makes for amazing lasagna but also means it’s extremely perishable. The high moisture content and fresh nature of ricotta make it a breeding ground for bacteria, so don’t get too attached to that container sitting in your fridge for more than a week.
Why Expiry Dates Can Be Misleading
According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), 78% of consumers report throwing out milk and other dairy products once the date on the label has passed. Yet, the date on your milk doesn’t necessarily indicate that it’s no longer safe to drink. One source of food waste arises from consumers or retailers throwing away wholesome food because of confusion about the meaning of dates displayed on the label. To reduce consumer confusion and wasted food, FSIS recommends that food manufacturers and retailers that apply product dating use a “Best if Used By” date. The reality is that dates on dairy products are more about quality than safety. While a Best if Used By/Before or Use-By date will indicate a product’s best quality before it starts to decline, that doesn’t mean you should toss your milk the day after that date passes if there aren’t signs of spoilage. Your senses – sight, smell, and taste – are often more reliable than the calendar.
The Storage Mistake That Makes Everything Spoil Faster
According to Jen Giambroni, Director of Communications at Real California Milk, milk should be stored at 38° to 40°F in the same container it came in, and far away from the door. When milk is stored on the refrigerator door’s shelves, it’s being exposed to warm air each time it’s opened, which encourages bacterial growth. Keep your refrigerator temperature between 38°F (3°C) and 40°F (4°C). Store your milk in the back of the refrigerator, this is usually the coldest. After use, always tightly seal and quickly return the carton to the fridge. It’s like having a revolving door policy for bacteria – every time you open that fridge door, your dairy products get a blast of warmer air. Hot days mean even hotter cars, which can lead to not-so-fresh milk and melted ice cream if you leave them unprotected in your trunk for too long. Consider keeping a cooler in your car to transport your dairy products from the store to your house. And be sure to get them into a cold fridge as soon as you get home. Temperature consistency is everything when it comes to dairy.
How to Tell When Dairy Has Actually Gone Bad
As the date on your milk doesn’t always indicate safety, the best way to tell if milk is okay to drink is by using your senses. One of the first signs that your milk has expired is a change in smell. Spoiled milk has a distinct sour odor, which is due to lactic acid produced by bacteria. Other signs of spoilage include a slightly yellow color and lumpy texture. First, check the smell: Spoiled milk will have a sour, unpleasant smell that’s often noticeable upon first whiff. Next, examine the color: Pasteurized milk has a white color. If the milk is spoiled, it may develop mold, which can range in color from black to blue. Next, look at the consistency: When milk has gone bad, it may change in consistency from a creamy, smooth liquid to one with chunks or lumps. This visual indicator is a sign that the milk is beginning to curdle and is no longer safe to drink. Think of it as a three-step detective process: sniff, look, then taste (if you’re brave enough). “Overall, trust your senses,” O’Brien says. “If it doesn’t look right or smell right, it’s probably spoiled”.
The Hidden Danger of “Slightly Off” Dairy
Drinking a sip or two of spoiled milk is unlikely to cause any serious side effects. However, consuming moderate or large amounts can cause food poisoning and result in symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Consuming spoiled milk may lead to vomiting, stomach cramping or diarrhea. It’s tempting to think “a little bit won’t hurt,” but when it comes to dairy, playing it safe is always better than playing it sorry. I’ve given myself food poisoning a couple of times from dicey dairy products. I don’t mess around with them any longer. It’s cheap compared to a couple of days crouching over and on the toilet. That slightly funky smell isn’t just a quality issue – it’s your body’s early warning system. When dairy products start to turn, harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella can multiply rapidly, turning your innocent glass of milk into a potential health hazard.
