How Long After The Expiration Date Is Milk Good?
Although it is not recommended or advised by someone, but unopened milk can last up to five to seven days after its expiration date whereas opened milk can last up to two to three days after its expiration date. However, this is only possible if they are stored in the right condition.
The shelf life date for your milk, or the Best By Date, is basically a guideline for how long your milk is going to be optimum in flavor if it is handled and stored correctly. There is no way to say exactly how long the milk will stay good beyond its use-by date, although unopened milk is thought to typically remain good for 5-7 days1.
Milk may last for an entire week longer when stored well; however, improperly stored milk will make it spoil sooner. As long as your milk has been stored correctly, it should still be usable for a week after its labeled expiration — maybe even two weeks, depending on your fridges temperature. According to Eat By Date, once opened, all milk will be good for 4-6 days beyond its printed date, provided that it is refrigerated. If you have already opened your carton of milk, you can expect that it will still be safe to drink for five to seven days after its printed date (How long does milk last?1).
| Type of milk | Shelf Life (refrigerated 32-34°F) |
| Unopened milk | 5-7 days |
| Lactose-free milk | 7-10 days |
| Dried milk (powdered milk) | 18 months |
| Pasteurized milk | 2-3 weeks |
If not opened, whole milk will last for five to seven days, reduced-fat and skimmed milk will last for seven days, and fat-free and lactose-free milk will last seven to 10 days beyond its printed date, when refrigerated. Unopened whole milk typically will be good for five to seven days after its printed expiration on a carton or jug, according to dairy packager Stanpac, whereas reduced-fat and skim milk last for seven days. Some dairy processors will use the date on the milk carton, whereas most will use the term “best before” the print date.
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Use-by dates and sale dates differ between states, so it is not uncommon to see cartons being tossed out when they are still good and safe for consumption simply due to a milk sale-by date. When reaching for the carton of milk at the grocery store, you likely look at thesell-by orbest-by dates–those handy labels that help you figure out just how fresh a product can be. When buying milk, check the best-by date to ensure that it has not passed by yet (most grocery stores ensure their supplies are current).
It is important to note that expiration dates differ depending on the type of milk you purchase, the way that the milk is stored, and the way it is packaged. In this article, we will discuss how long milk may remain safe beyond its expiration date, and we will explain what different dates on food and beverage labels mean. Understanding why products are labeled with dates, and how to store and safely consume milk, will allow consumers to extend their products shelf life and avoid needless food waste. Let us examine what those labels actually mean, and whether there is a better way to tell whether or not food in your pantry or refrigerator is still safe to eat.
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Since dates are applied to help guarantee quality, it is likely that your milk is still safe to drink past the date printed on the packaging. When not kept at a safe temperature for storage, your milk (and other foods) will not stay fresh or safe to eat, even past its expiration date. Properly stored milk should still be acceptable past the coded date, Milk does not get better as it ages, and it is not going to taste quite as fresh. How to keep your milk fresh longer Milk treatment has a substantial impact on the amount of time that milk stays fresh and is safe for consumption.
While pasteurization makes the milk safer to consume, this does not mean it is safe to leave the milk outside the fridge for extended periods, especially once you have opened it. Doster also recommends that skimmed milk responds better to freezing than higher-fat milk, and to store your milk in a sealed container to prevent it from tasting like other items in your fridge. If your milk goes bad before its “use-by” date on the container, it is possible your fridge is too hot.
Some sources say that your milk is fine beyond its shelf life, while others say to throw it away after only a few days. I have even experienced times where the milk was still good a few days after its milk shelf life. To set things straight before I get started, the answer to the question above is a yes: You can drink milk past the date of expiration, and it is as delicious as it is safe. Yes, I know that this scares some people when they see their milk is expired, but in reality, it is still okay to drink.
Read on to see exactly how long you can drink milk past the date on the carton, plus for some other important USDA news, This popular sausage needs to be thrown away immediately, according to USDA. How To Tell If Milk Is Bad Expiration dates are a poor indication of whether or not your milk is safe to drink. Safety past expiration Share on Pinterest Michael Rudenko/Getty Images There is no universal duration of how long it is safe to consume milk past its expiration date.
According to Healthline, there are easy steps you can take to help make sure that your dairy products can continue to last well beyond their listed shelf life.
While there is no set hard-and-fast rule on when you should throw out a dairy product, researchers have found that unopened milk typically can be used for five to seven days after its listed expiration. Eat By Date, an organization that educates consumers about how long foods can last, says that milk can last for five to seven days past the best-by date. Some data suggests pasteurized milk should stay fresh 2-5 days past the best-by date, with an overall shelf life of 10-21 days. Most manufacturers recommend using powdered milk, also known as dried milk, for up to 18 months, but that is really only the best-by date.
If you are looking at a dried whole milk label, you want to use up your supply before its best by date. If you are moving dried milk out of the original container, mark the date you moved it out of it, and you can tell how old it is. Fresh Pasteurized milk falls in the second date-marketing category, which requires the best-by date, though it is more than likely you would sniff out when it is past the expiration date before drinking.
What helps the milk to turn bad?
When milk’s pH levels fall, it becomes acidic, and milk proteins (casein and others) molecules gravitate toward one another to form “curdles” or lumps. The lumps then float on the solution’s surface, and the lumps are formed faster at warmer temperatures. Heat the milk gently over medium-low heat to control the dairy from curdling.
How long does milk have after best by date?
Taste, freshness, or nutritional value may suffer after the “best by” date. Whole milk will stay fresh for five to seven days after the “best by” date, reduced fat and skim milk for seven days, and lactose-free milk for seven to ten days, as long as the container has remained unopened.
Can you drink 1 week expired milk?
It should still be OK to drink milk up to a week after the date on the label, and potentially even up to two weeks, depending on how cold your refrigerator is. In general, milk is still probably safe to consume if it smells and looks normal.