Have you ever come home and realized that you left your milk out all day? Were you left wondering, just how long can it sit out before it gets bad?
In this post you will find out the shelf life for any type of milk and every scenario you could imagine.
The bright side is that you won’t get severely ill from drinking spoiled milk, but you should still be careful. The general rule to remember is that, if you do happen to forget the milk out, place it in the coldest part of your fridge as soon as you can.
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How Long Can Milk Sit Out (Opened and Unopened)?
According to the FDA, storing unopened milk out of the refrigerator or at room temperature is to be avoided. The maximum time you can leave it out for is up to 2 hours. This guideline also applies to opened milk.
What that breaks down to is, if the temperature exceeds 45°F, that unopened milk can only be safe to drink for up to an hour. Always aim to store your milk at 40°F or below. If stored above 40°F, you may notice that your milk will start to have a sour odor, off- flavor and curdled.
Is Shelf Life the Same For All Types of Milk?
The first thing to do is check the shelf life of your milk.
- Reduced-fat milk or skim milk will last for 7 days in the fridge
- Whole milk can turn sour in as little as 5 days in the fridge
- Non-fat milk and lactose-free milk have shelf lives of up to 10 days
How Long Does Organic Milk Last?
You may be surprised to know that your organic milk will last longer. You can drink it for up to one month. Sounds too good to be true? It isn’t. Organic milk is processed with ultra-high temperature pasteurization.
Why Does Organic Milk Last For So Long?
Have you ever noticed that cartons that are labelled organic, often have a longer shelf life? It’s true, in fact they have almost a month longer shelf life compared to regular milk. That’s simply due to receiving ultra-high temperature pasteurization that kills more bacteria, whereas standard pasteurization is used for regular milk.
Where To Store Milk In The Refrigerator?
In France, Spain, and other European countries, drinking ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk is normal, whereas drinking pasteurized milk is more common in the US. It is according to the FDA, pasteurized milk needs to be refrigerated.
For Grade- A milk, you have to keep it in a temperature below 45°F. For best results, keep your milk on the bottom shelf in your fridge.
How Long Does Milk Last After It Is Opened?
After a bottle of milk is opened, you can count on it to last from about 4 to 7 days in the fridge. This means that it’s OK to drink it after the label date has passed. However, the key thing to remember here is that this only holds true if you refrigerate the milk properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Can Raw Milk Last In The Refrigerator?
Typically raw unpasteurized milk can last anywhere between seven and ten days, as long as it is stored at a temperature of 36-38°F.
If kept at a higher temperature, lactobacilli will produce lactic acid, causing spoiled milk to taste tangy.
How to Tell if the Milk Has Gone Bad?
If you’re in doubt, just throw it out. Ideally you want to throw out any milk that have been left at room temperature for longer than two hours.
Is There Any Milk That Can Last For a Month?
Yes! There is long-life milk or shelf-stable milk. It’s a milk that is packaged in aseptic cartons and is ultra-pasteurized at high temperatures. This is what allows this type of milk to sit in grocery stores for months at room temperature – lasting as long as six months at room temperature.
How Long Can Breast Milk Sit Out?
Breast milk is a little different when it comes to storage. It can be left out safely for up to four hours at a room temperature of 77 degrees F.
How Long Can Milk Sit Out (How to Store Milk)
Ingredients
- Milk
Instructions
- Make sure the milk is sealed properly.
- For Grade- A milk, you have to keep it in a temperature below 45°F. For best results, keep your milk on the bottom shelf in your fridge.
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