safefoodmitra.com · 2025-01-10 09:37:52
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (
), both plain and flavoured milk should be consumed by
the package use-by date for freshness and quality. You can also freeze it from the
date of purchase, for up to 3 months.
If you buy lactose-free milk, it's best to consume it within one week if refrigerated
after opening. The Food Safety Department does not recommend freezing lactosefree milk.
Most of nutritionists and health experts recommend consuming milk by its ‘best
by’ date. Though freezing and then consuming milk is safe, there are some points
you must keep in mind.
From a nutritional perspective, frozen milk and fresh milk are nearly identical.
Transfer the milk to an air-tight, freezer-safe bag or container for freezing. This
way, the risk of package rupturing can be prevented.
To defrost the milk, do not place it at room temperature. Instead defrost the
milk overnight in the fridge, to avoid bacterial contamination.
If you are planning to cook with the milk, you can defrost it directly into the
pot or pan you are cooking.
Frozen milk may not have the same taste and texture. The freezing might
result in fat separation. So, it may not be pleasant enough to use as a
beverage. Instead, you can incorporate it to cook, bake or make smoothies.
Yogurt can be stored in the refrigerator at 40 ºF for one or two weeks and can
be frozen at 0 ºF for one to two months.
Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese, ricotta, or Brie can be refrigerated for
one week. However, they can’t be frozen.
You can store hard cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss, and Parmesan in the
refrigerator for six months before opening the package, and three to four
weeks after opening. It can be frozen for six months.
Processed cheese can be refrigerated for one or two months, but it does not
freeze well.
Sour cream is safe to be refrigerated for one to three weeks, but can’t be
frozen.