![]() ![]() 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). How to tell if lactose-free milk is bad? The best way is to smell and look at the lactose-free milk: signs of bad lactose-free milk are a sour smell, off color and a thick or clumpy texture.Confusion over date labeling on foods accounts for nearly 20% of consumer food waste in the United States ( 2). The freezer time shown is for best quality only - lactose-free milk that has been kept constantly frozen at 0° F will keep safe indefinitely. How long does lactose-free milk last in the freezer? Properly stored, it will maintain best quality for about 4 months, but will remain safe beyond that time. To further extend the shelf life of lactose-free milk, freeze it frozen lactose-free milk will often become separated and the texture may become somewhat grainy, but it is usually acceptable for cooking and baking purposes.įreeze lactose-free milk in an airtight container and leave at least 1/2 inch headspace at the top, as lactose-free milk will expand when frozen thaw in refrigerator. How long can lactose-free milk be left at room temperature? If kept at temperatures above 40 ☏, lactose-free milk will rapidly develop signs of spoilage lactose-free milk should be discarded if left out for more than 4 hours at room temperature. To maximize the shelf of lactose-free milk, do not store it on the fridge door, as the temperature is too warm - the lactose-free milk will last longer when they stored in the main body of the refrigerator, in its original package. How long does lactose-free milk last after the sell-by date? Lactose-free milk will generally remain drinkable for about one week after the "sell-by" date on the package, assuming it has been continuously refrigerated be sure to keep the temperature of your refrigerator at or below 40° F at all times. How long does lactose-free milk last? The precise answer to that question depends to a large extent on storage conditions - to maximize the shelf life of lactose-free milk, keep it refrigerated at all times. ![]()
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