unless it’s shelf-stable, place milk in the fridge as soon as possible after purchase.Here are a few tips on how to keep your milk from spoiling quickly ( 13): However, you can still end up with spoiled milk if you don’t store and handle it properly. Milk may be good for several days after the sell-by or best-by date. Of course, regardless of the listed date, it’s always important to examine your milk first for any signs of spoilage, such as a sour smell or change in texture. However, once opened, UHT milk should be stored in the fridge and consumed within 7–10 days ( 9). Unopened, UHT milk can generally last 2–4 weeks past the printed date if stored in a cool, dry pantry, and up to 1–2 months in the fridge. UHT is similar to pasteurization but uses higher heat, making unopened milk products safe to store at room temperature ( 12). Drinking this type may also increase your risk of foodborne illness ( 10, 11).įinally, there’s unrefrigerated milk, also called shelf-stable or aseptic milk, which is produced using ultra-heat treatment (UHT). In contrast, raw milk has not been pasteurized and has a shorter shelf life. Unless milk is shelf-stable, it should never be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, as this increases your risk of foodborne illness ( 3). While there are no set recommendations, most research suggests that as long as it’s been stored properly, unopened milk generally stays good for 5–7 days past its listed date, while opened milk lasts at least 2–3 days past this date ( 3, 8, 9). Simply by reducing the refrigerator temperature from 43☏ (6☌) to 39☏ (4☌), the shelf life was lengthened by 9 days ( 8). One study found that the temperature in your refrigerator greatly affects how long your milk stays good past the listed date. However, pasteurization can’t kill all the bacteria, and those that remain will continue to grow, eventually causing the milk to spoil ( 8). By doing this, the shelf life of milk is extended by 2–3 weeks ( 6, 7). Pasteurization is a process that involves heating milk to destroy potentially harmful bacteria, including E. In the United States, most milk purchased from the grocery store has been pasteurized ( 5). How long is milk safe to drink after the expiration date? Instead, you’ll often see a “use by” or “sell by” date, which is a recommendation regarding quality, not necessarily safety. The FDA doesn’t require manufacturers to print an expiration date on milk. However, it doesn’t mean that your milk will expire and be unsafe to drink immediately after that date. Therefore, the printed date can give you an idea of when the quality will start to decline. This date is the last day you can expect the product to be at peak quality. This date can help stores with inventory management, as it tells when to sell the milk by to ensure the best quality. This date indicates when to consume the milk by for the best quality. This means you may see several types of dates on your milk carton - none of which indicate food safety ( 3): Some states regulate if and how expiration dates on milk should be labeled, but these regulations differ between states ( 4). This is largely because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate the date labeling of food products, with the exception of infant formula ( 2, 3). Confusion over date labeling on foods accounts for nearly 20% of consumer food waste in the United States ( 2).
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