2023-09-04 09:56:23
Yes, past the expiration date, some foods are still suitable for consumption, the case of milk is more complex. We tell you everything you need to know to preserve your health.
Can you drink milk whose expiry date has passed?
For milk, it is important to make the distinction so as not to endanger its health. Because between raw milk, pasteurized milk and UHT milk, the cases differ:
- for raw milk : it is recommended not to drink it beyond the expiry date (DLC) under penalty of exposing yourself to a significant health risk. But, sometimes it is still good for consumption up to 15 days following the deadline. To avoid the pitfall, we trust our senses and, if in doubt, we refrain from drinking it.
- for pasteurized milk : ditto, it can sometimes be consumed up to 15 days following the expiry date (DLC) even if it is generally recommended to respect it scrupulously,
- for UHT milkit is the date of minimum durability (DDM) that we are interested in: as this milk has been heated to a high temperature, it can be consumed up to 3 months following the DDM, provided that it does not has not been opened.
If the milk is already open, we must be even more vigilant. Indeed, once opened, the milk must be quickly consumed before it goes sour. Generally, in the refrigerator, raw milk as well as pasteurized milk that has been opened can be kept for 2 to 3 days maximum; as for opened UHT milk, it can be kept for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
As is the case with many foods, relying on your senses is a good way to recognize if a food is safe to eat…or not! If, visually, the appearance of the milk is abnormal, if its smell is abnormal, if, barely wet the lips, the taste seems abnormal, we won’t go any further. The milk is certainly expired and, in any case, unfit for consumption. Incidentally, this also applies to any other dairy product.
Expiry dates, powdered milk and infant milk
Again, a distinction must be made:
- for powdered milk intended for children or infant milk, we take no risk and we get rid of it automatically once the date has passed.
- for powdered, freeze-dried or sachet milk (not intended for children), it can be consumed several months following the expiry date (provided it has not been opened).
Drinking expired milk: what are the health risks?
The biggest risk with expired milk? L’food poisoning linked to the presence of bacteria in the milk and which generally appears a few hours following drinking it. Hence obviously depends on the amount of milk ingested. It is possible that one is asymptomatic but, in some the symptoms can be particularly unpleasant: stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, fever. In the case of food poisoning with raw milk, the consequences can be more serious …
What to do with expired milk?
Did you know it can be consumed? Indeed, to a certain extent, expired milk can be used in preparations and recipes requiring cooking because boiling the milk will destroy bacteria! Pancakes, rice pudding and other tasty recipes can thus be prepared with just expired milk… and help reduce food (and financial!) waste.
In addition, there are grandmother’s tips for using expired milk, such as cleaning silverware and stainless steel, caring for leather and the body, or even for gardening enthusiasts, as a fertilizer or repellent…
Read also:
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Expired, blue, moldy grated cheese: should I throw away or eat?
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Can we eat fish whose expiry date has passed?
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