It is still easy to identify animal milk that has gone bad: the packaging bulges, the milk smells sour and forms lumps. But how do you recognize spoiled plant milk? We clarify!
The selection of plant-based milk has increased enormously in recent years. Whether soy, almond, oat or coconut milk: They should be a real alternative to cow’s milk by protecting the environment and supporting animal welfare. But when is plant milk actually bad? Finally, with animal milk, it’s fairly easy to spot because it smells and tastes sour, the package bulges, and bits separate.
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Shelf life of oat milk and co: How long is plant milk fresh?
An opened pack of plant milk has a longer shelf life than UHT milk. According to the manufacturer, UHT milk should be used within 3-5 days. In fact, it keeps in the fridge for 5-7 days. The short shelf life is due to the fat and protein in milk. And this is how long plant milk can be kept:
- Almond Milk Shelf Life: Almond milk is still good to drink 12-14 days after opening and storing in the fridge as it is mostly water.
- Shelf life of oat milk: You can also drink oat milk for 12-14 days after opening. However, if you make your own oat or almond milk, you should use the fresh milk within four days. Store them in a clean container and in the refrigerator.
- Shelf life of soy milk: Soy milk is different : due to the increased protein content, it does not last as long as almond or oat milk.
Recognizing bad milk: Here’s how!
These signs indicate that the milk is no longer edible:
- The milk smells different and musty
- The milk tastes sour
- The consistency is no longer watery, but greasy, possibly with lumps
- The milk color has changed
- mold can be seen
What happens if I drank spoiled plant milk?
If you have drunk spoiled plant-based milk, this will show up in a similar way to spoiled cow’s milk. A single consumption is usually harmless and in most cases you do not have to expect any consequences. However, if you have a weakened immune system, symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting can occur.
Store plant milk properly
- Unopened, oat milk and co can also be kept for a long time without refrigeration. Store your plant-based milk in a cool, dark place.
- Always keep opened plant milk in the fridge to prevent germs from forming.
- Before consumption, shake the milk carton so that the ingredients that have settled out are distributed in the milk and clumps do not form prematurely.
- Do not drink from the pack by mouth, as this allows germs and bacteria to get in and the plant-based milk will spoil more quickly.
- It is better to freeze milk leftovers, e.g. before longer absences or trips, and use them again later.
- Homemade plant-based milk has a shorter shelf life. If you put it in a clean bottle after making it and refrigerate it, it will keep for around four days.
By the way: Even if the milk forms flakes in the coffee, that does not necessarily mean that it is bad. This can also happen with soy milk in coffee because the soy protein changes its structure due to the acidity of the coffee.
Drink plant milk: 5 good reasons
- The ecological balance of animal cow’s milk is higher than that of plant milk, which is produced in a more climate-friendly manner. In particular, oat milk performs best compared to the other plant-based products. It takes about 3.4 liters of water to produce one liter of oat milk. For one liter of cow’s milk there are 250 liters of water.
- Whether in the morning in coffee or when baking – the taste of plant milk is in no way inferior to cow’s milk. Big plus: Plant milk is a good alternative for vegans and people with lactose intolerance.
- Plant-based milk is rich in amino acids, fiber, unsaturated fatty acids and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron.
- Plant milk is diverse: oat, spelled, soy, almond milk – there are many different types of delicious plant milk that offer a variety of tastes and can be used in different ways.
- Another big plus is that you can easily make your own plant-based milk. For example, here is a recipe for delicious oat milk >>
