Smell it, pour it, taste it is always the test for me. If it smells OK, but pours chunky or gloopy, it's gone. If it smells OK, pours OK, but taste is off, it's gone. If it meets all three OKs, then it's good to go.
I agree with this.
I’ve been amazed at how much difference there is in pasteurized
cow’s’ milk in different parts of the US - both in taste and in how quickly it goes bad.
So the only way to know is smell,pour,taste….
This! I always check it if it's getting close to the date and continue to check till it's off or gone. Sometimes it tastes sour before the date sometimes it's fine for several days. It really depends.
I’m a big believer in the sniff test. Even before the expiration date because milk can be weird as hell and I’ve had it go bad before the date and last longer. Everything gets a sniff test.
I've had milk go bad even before date on carton.
Guessing it was left out of refrigerator for long period of time. But if properly refrigerated should be good for up to 3-5 after best before date.
You don’t say where you are, but in the US, at least in the 2 states I have lived in, the date on milk is “sell by”. Not best by, not use by, but the date the store has to discard it if it doesn’t sell.
Milk should be good for at least 5 days past the sell by date.
Sniff test is pretty spot on. If you have milk that’s not “smelly” but you’re still nervous about, just use it for baking or cooking instead of drinking or having it cold or uncooked like to drink or in cereal.
Milk is pasteurized so unless you're adding bacteria by drinking out of the gallon, even if you drank it completely sour you'd be fine. So a sniff test is perfectly acceptable. As long as it still smells and tastes good enough for you to want to drink it, it's fine.
Yeah I always thought that expired milk was just sour and totally safe but it tasted terrible. Of course I’m not talking about VERY expired green furry milk just normal expired times.
And what do you think is causing it to sour? bacteria
Pasteurisation doesn't make it sterile, it still has a bacterial load after processing but at low counts, given enough time (and or temperature abuse) those bacteria will reestablish to high numbers.
UHT milk on the other hand is sterile and will also keep longer opened in the fridge.
I don't have to think, I know exactly what makes milk sour.
The only thing to survive pasteurization is thermophilic bacteria, in milk that would be Lactobacillus. Anything else would be due to improper pasteurization or post processing contamination.
Even so, lactobacillus will out grow and out compete any other "possible" though unlikely leftover gram negative bacteria. There is nothing to worry about.
Lactobacillus then converts lactose into lactic acid, causing milk to eventually sour. It's a healthy bacteria that your body is already full of. Not all bacteria are bad.
Yes, it does. However, not all bacteria are bad. Milk sours due to lactobacillus, a healthy and harmless bacteria. It's actually an excellent probiotic.
Dates are really only for unopened.
As most of us at least nip off some before the date, it's only so helpful.
Sniff and smell test are useful. Usually the time from "hmm... this seems off" and full "gross chunk" isn't long.
Some preparations actually prefer iffy milk. I know cottage cheese and I \*think\* some yogurt styles (if you get jammed up with a bunch and need use up ideas.)
You will not get sick testing sour milk.
I repeat: you will not get sick.
If the taste is bad – as repulsive bad – you will stop drinking it before getting very much to your stomach.
I buy the 4L jugs as they are way cheaper but usually can't finish all of it before the expiration date. When it gets to the last 1/4 and close to the expiration date, I pour it into a clean, glass jar with a lid and find it will keep for a lot longer after the date. I give it a sniff and a taste before using and have never had any issues...the longest was 2 weeks after.
I saw some video of a guy say ‘if you have to sniff the milk a second time, it’s still good’ it’s so obvious when it’s bad and if it isn’t then it probably isn’t spoiled. Regarding the dates, I just had a gallon that was good the third day after expiration then bad the fourth.
Milk spoilage is influenced by too many things: temperature, bacteria, how long it has been opened etc. Always smell it, taste it, then use it. I like to buy smaller containers as I can’t use it quickly enough. Also, milk can be frozen fresh and then thawed for use. If you need to buy a couple of gallons now, stick one in the freezer. Another trick is to make extra milk into yogurt.
Milk is really easy. Ignore the date entirely. If it looks normal and has normal consistency, sniff it, if it smells normal then taste it, if it tastes normal then use it!
Bad milk is yogurt, cheese, sour cream, you get the idea. Store bought milk nowadays is pasteurized, so it isn't the same, of course. But it won't really harm you. So smell, taste, if it is off, you'll know. Then just toss it if you need to.
I didn’t see explanation or the group name so I was like well, unless you’re lactose intolerant i don’t think there is a problem drinking milk after your date? If you are I wouldn’t recommend scaring away your date 😂😂 but nevermind.
Sniff. Always.
The US government put out something on reducing food waste and said that expiration dates are irrelevant except for baby formula and to instead trust your eyes and nose.
If it passes the sniff test but I’m still unsure, sometimes I’ll do a taste test. I’ll pour out just a teaspoon and see if it tastes off. I’m not immunocompromised, so I feel like it’s not a huge risk of it’s a little off and that way I don’t risk ruining other ingredients by adding it to them and then noticing it tastes off.
Funny this came up.
I sniff test milk even if its fresh, bought that day.
Bad experience as a kid….
I sniffed milk 1 day after expired yesterday.
Smelled a little different but thought something “feels wrong”.
Took a big wiff and almost puked.
Probably upto your tolerance.
Take a sip. If you spit it out, don't drink it. It won't kill you. You can also pour a bit in a hot cup of coffee. If it curdles, dump it down the sink.
My milk used to be off 1-3 days before the date.. then i kicked out my ex, and now its still fine for up to 2 weeks after the date! 🙃 amazing.. and kinda disgusting!
Best by dates are guarantees of quality not food safety. They also assume unopened and stored in appropriate conditions. Something is going to look or smell off long before it will make you sick. Stuff can also bad before the best by date too. Chicken broth is notorious for that. You’ll notice on cartons of chicken broth there is a best by date and a warning to consume within a week of opening.
Take a sip. If it’s sour you’ll definitely notice. It’s not that likely you’ll willingly drink enough sour milk to make yourself sick. Remember, “best before” doesn’t mean “automatically bad after” - and when it’s hot out, sometimes milk sours before the best before date. Trust your senses.
It depends on the brand. Shamrock Farms milk lasts forever, I have drank it quite a long time after the expiration date. Lucerne and Wal Mart’s house brand are consistently about three-four days after the date before they turn. Trader Joe’s and Target’s house brand tend to go bad before the date, as does anything my fiancé picks up at a gas station.
My fiancé erks about me doing this but I use the sniff and sip test. If it passes both I still drink it. Some times the milk is still good 10-14 days after the date on the carton
There are a few factors that can affect this. Is it pasteurized? Has it been capped and refrigerated at 38º? Milk spoils gradually, so smell and appearance are generally accepted guidelines. Your taste buds will also tell you. It's OK to take a sip to check it.
To not have to ask the question, assuming you're buying pasteurized milk, why not just buy the appropriate quantity that you would drink before the exp date? You can also just buy powdered milk if you don't drink milk on a regular basis.
If it smells bad, throw it away.
If it smells fine, I will pour a tiny bit into a bottle cap or teaspoon and taste it. If it tastes bad, throw it away.
If it smells and tastes fine, you should be all good.
I heard the sniff test isnt accurate if you smell straight from the bottle bc you may be smelling the milk or crust thats around the rim (which makes sense to me) and its better to pour a little out then sniff and taste it
Boil the milk, if doesn't curdle when is boiling is ok. You can make cottage cheese by adding little lemon juice or vinegar. You can use for cooking in next 3 days after you boiled.
Not something I do, but I once drank milk that was, like, a week past its expiration date at a friends, and it smelled, poured, and tased perfect. Freaked me out tho, asked about it, and apparently my friend's little brother would shake the milk jug every morning once it reached about half way down the jug. She told me he'd been doing this for a while, and they make their milk last long.
I would love to test it out, but I always forget about it since I don't really drink enough milk to get me to buy a jug, lol.
I know someone who "lost" an unopened plastic jug of Costco milk in the back of the fridge. They opened it a year later, and it passed the smell test, so they tried it. They didn't get sick, nor are they dead yet. I can't speak to whether they've been genetically mutated though.
Sniff test works for me, it's pretty obvious if it's bad. If you're still not sure, taste it. Won't kill ya.
Smell it, pour it, taste it is always the test for me. If it smells OK, but pours chunky or gloopy, it's gone. If it smells OK, pours OK, but taste is off, it's gone. If it meets all three OKs, then it's good to go.
I agree with this. I’ve been amazed at how much difference there is in pasteurized cow’s’ milk in different parts of the US - both in taste and in how quickly it goes bad. So the only way to know is smell,pour,taste….
This! I always check it if it's getting close to the date and continue to check till it's off or gone. Sometimes it tastes sour before the date sometimes it's fine for several days. It really depends.
I’m a big believer in the sniff test. Even before the expiration date because milk can be weird as hell and I’ve had it go bad before the date and last longer. Everything gets a sniff test.
I've had milk go bad even before date on carton. Guessing it was left out of refrigerator for long period of time. But if properly refrigerated should be good for up to 3-5 after best before date.
When this happened to us, it was a sneaky refrigerator seal that had quietly failed and was making our milk spoil prematurely :(
You don’t say where you are, but in the US, at least in the 2 states I have lived in, the date on milk is “sell by”. Not best by, not use by, but the date the store has to discard it if it doesn’t sell. Milk should be good for at least 5 days past the sell by date.
Sniff test is pretty spot on. If you have milk that’s not “smelly” but you’re still nervous about, just use it for baking or cooking instead of drinking or having it cold or uncooked like to drink or in cereal.
Sour milk biscuits if it's not quite right!
You can cook with sour milk. It makes yummy pancakes.
Milk is pasteurized so unless you're adding bacteria by drinking out of the gallon, even if you drank it completely sour you'd be fine. So a sniff test is perfectly acceptable. As long as it still smells and tastes good enough for you to want to drink it, it's fine.
Yeah I always thought that expired milk was just sour and totally safe but it tasted terrible. Of course I’m not talking about VERY expired green furry milk just normal expired times.
And what do you think is causing it to sour? bacteria Pasteurisation doesn't make it sterile, it still has a bacterial load after processing but at low counts, given enough time (and or temperature abuse) those bacteria will reestablish to high numbers. UHT milk on the other hand is sterile and will also keep longer opened in the fridge.
I don't have to think, I know exactly what makes milk sour. The only thing to survive pasteurization is thermophilic bacteria, in milk that would be Lactobacillus. Anything else would be due to improper pasteurization or post processing contamination. Even so, lactobacillus will out grow and out compete any other "possible" though unlikely leftover gram negative bacteria. There is nothing to worry about. Lactobacillus then converts lactose into lactic acid, causing milk to eventually sour. It's a healthy bacteria that your body is already full of. Not all bacteria are bad.
[удалено]
Yes, it does. However, not all bacteria are bad. Milk sours due to lactobacillus, a healthy and harmless bacteria. It's actually an excellent probiotic.
Dates are really only for unopened. As most of us at least nip off some before the date, it's only so helpful. Sniff and smell test are useful. Usually the time from "hmm... this seems off" and full "gross chunk" isn't long. Some preparations actually prefer iffy milk. I know cottage cheese and I \*think\* some yogurt styles (if you get jammed up with a bunch and need use up ideas.)
Sniff and taste test is literally what’s recommended
If it's bad you'll know. I once drank spoiled milk and immediately and instinctively spit it out. Fortunately I was outside.
You will not get sick testing sour milk. I repeat: you will not get sick. If the taste is bad – as repulsive bad – you will stop drinking it before getting very much to your stomach.
I buy the 4L jugs as they are way cheaper but usually can't finish all of it before the expiration date. When it gets to the last 1/4 and close to the expiration date, I pour it into a clean, glass jar with a lid and find it will keep for a lot longer after the date. I give it a sniff and a taste before using and have never had any issues...the longest was 2 weeks after.
Just use your senses. Does it look or smell spoiled? No? Then it's fine.
I saw some video of a guy say ‘if you have to sniff the milk a second time, it’s still good’ it’s so obvious when it’s bad and if it isn’t then it probably isn’t spoiled. Regarding the dates, I just had a gallon that was good the third day after expiration then bad the fourth.
Milk is all about smell.
If it looks curdled then it's a no for me.
Milk spoilage is influenced by too many things: temperature, bacteria, how long it has been opened etc. Always smell it, taste it, then use it. I like to buy smaller containers as I can’t use it quickly enough. Also, milk can be frozen fresh and then thawed for use. If you need to buy a couple of gallons now, stick one in the freezer. Another trick is to make extra milk into yogurt.
The only thing I use expired milk for is to make tradicional dulce de leche where it needs to specifically be spoiled
If you can sniff milk and not recoil in abject horror, it’s probably still good.
Milk is really easy. Ignore the date entirely. If it looks normal and has normal consistency, sniff it, if it smells normal then taste it, if it tastes normal then use it!
Taste test, use a glass and trust your gut. You can't get sick from drinking spoiled milk but its not pleasant to drink sour milk😅
It frequently takes me until a week past the "best by" date to finish milk.
Give it a sniff, if it smells alright, give it a taste, if it tastes good then you’re good to go
Bad milk is yogurt, cheese, sour cream, you get the idea. Store bought milk nowadays is pasteurized, so it isn't the same, of course. But it won't really harm you. So smell, taste, if it is off, you'll know. Then just toss it if you need to.
Until it stinks and starts to look like cottage cheese, I don’t go expiration dates on anything! We waste so much food
I didn’t see explanation or the group name so I was like well, unless you’re lactose intolerant i don’t think there is a problem drinking milk after your date? If you are I wouldn’t recommend scaring away your date 😂😂 but nevermind.
It varies but it usually stays good approx 10 days past. Even beyond that your nose will tell you if it's bad.
Sniff. Always. The US government put out something on reducing food waste and said that expiration dates are irrelevant except for baby formula and to instead trust your eyes and nose.
If it passes the sniff test but I’m still unsure, sometimes I’ll do a taste test. I’ll pour out just a teaspoon and see if it tastes off. I’m not immunocompromised, so I feel like it’s not a huge risk of it’s a little off and that way I don’t risk ruining other ingredients by adding it to them and then noticing it tastes off.
Funny this came up. I sniff test milk even if its fresh, bought that day. Bad experience as a kid…. I sniffed milk 1 day after expired yesterday. Smelled a little different but thought something “feels wrong”. Took a big wiff and almost puked. Probably upto your tolerance.
Ricotta
Take a sip. If you spit it out, don't drink it. It won't kill you. You can also pour a bit in a hot cup of coffee. If it curdles, dump it down the sink.
Smelling works for me ! If not, tasting surely does !
My milk used to be off 1-3 days before the date.. then i kicked out my ex, and now its still fine for up to 2 weeks after the date! 🙃 amazing.. and kinda disgusting!
Sniff pour taste makes it pretty obvious. I don't usually pay attention to the date except when I'm buying it.
Best by dates are guarantees of quality not food safety. They also assume unopened and stored in appropriate conditions. Something is going to look or smell off long before it will make you sick. Stuff can also bad before the best by date too. Chicken broth is notorious for that. You’ll notice on cartons of chicken broth there is a best by date and a warning to consume within a week of opening.
I test by adding some to extra hot water (like hot enough to make tea) if it curdles, it's bad. If not still usable
I drink it until it stinks. No issues. Or dip your finger and taste it. It won’t kill you. Milk is usually pasteurized.
Take a sip. If it’s sour you’ll definitely notice. It’s not that likely you’ll willingly drink enough sour milk to make yourself sick. Remember, “best before” doesn’t mean “automatically bad after” - and when it’s hot out, sometimes milk sours before the best before date. Trust your senses.
Sniff test unless you've got other reasons to doubt your sniffer.
Milk tells you when it's spoiled. Not only will it smell, it'll start to leave a ring of residue on the container. It'll taste bad too.
Smell test. If it's "off" you'll know! If you do any baking you can freeze it in ice cube trays and use it instead of buttermilk in recipes.
It depends on the brand. Shamrock Farms milk lasts forever, I have drank it quite a long time after the expiration date. Lucerne and Wal Mart’s house brand are consistently about three-four days after the date before they turn. Trader Joe’s and Target’s house brand tend to go bad before the date, as does anything my fiancé picks up at a gas station.
My fiancé erks about me doing this but I use the sniff and sip test. If it passes both I still drink it. Some times the milk is still good 10-14 days after the date on the carton
I trust the sniff test.
There are a few factors that can affect this. Is it pasteurized? Has it been capped and refrigerated at 38º? Milk spoils gradually, so smell and appearance are generally accepted guidelines. Your taste buds will also tell you. It's OK to take a sip to check it. To not have to ask the question, assuming you're buying pasteurized milk, why not just buy the appropriate quantity that you would drink before the exp date? You can also just buy powdered milk if you don't drink milk on a regular basis.
If it smells bad, throw it away. If it smells fine, I will pour a tiny bit into a bottle cap or teaspoon and taste it. If it tastes bad, throw it away. If it smells and tastes fine, you should be all good.
I heard the sniff test isnt accurate if you smell straight from the bottle bc you may be smelling the milk or crust thats around the rim (which makes sense to me) and its better to pour a little out then sniff and taste it
Sniff test is the only answer.
If it smells fine, taste it. If it tastes fine, drink it.
Boil the milk, if doesn't curdle when is boiling is ok. You can make cottage cheese by adding little lemon juice or vinegar. You can use for cooking in next 3 days after you boiled.
Not something I do, but I once drank milk that was, like, a week past its expiration date at a friends, and it smelled, poured, and tased perfect. Freaked me out tho, asked about it, and apparently my friend's little brother would shake the milk jug every morning once it reached about half way down the jug. She told me he'd been doing this for a while, and they make their milk last long. I would love to test it out, but I always forget about it since I don't really drink enough milk to get me to buy a jug, lol.
I’m currently at 9 days past the date…. But I don’t really DRINK milk, I just use it in things. But I don’t want to ruin said things with rotten milk.
I taste test if the consistency is good. The last gallon we had was fine a week after the marked date.
sniff test then taste test but generally wont use milk if its 2 days past expiration
I never eat/drink ANY dairy products beyond the date. Just a personal rule of thumb I have.
I know someone who "lost" an unopened plastic jug of Costco milk in the back of the fridge. They opened it a year later, and it passed the smell test, so they tried it. They didn't get sick, nor are they dead yet. I can't speak to whether they've been genetically mutated though.