Found 5-6 month old unopened milk & 1/2 & 1/2 that seems/tastes perfectly fine!

A number of months ago I couldn't figure out where a 1/2 gallon of milk I had bought had disappeared to. I figured I had left it at the store, so I put it out of my mind. Well it had gotten wrapped up in a large blanket in the trunk of my car and has been there until today. It's been there since beginning of March and the car has been VERY hot for weeks at a time, parked in the sun with the windows up, probably getting above 120F or more when in the sun during the hottest days.

So I found it and was going to dump it out immediately but thought I'd take a wiff of it and noticed NO abnormal smell and it was about 75F at this point. So I shook it up, smelled again, still fine, looked fine and I poured about an ounce and took a sip. Tasted like totally fresh, warm milk, nothing different than any other warm milk I've ever tasted.

This is whole milk and lactose free store brand, so idk if that makes a difference b/c I think the lactose (removed) is what often ferments and causes the alcohols and similar organics (ketones and more) to form. So I put it in the fridge and I'm waiting to see if the taste changes once it gets colder but I doubt that it will.

I've had similar foods that say "sell by", "best if used by" and "expires by" and all the foods usually seem to be just fine WELL after the expiration dates, even sell past those dates (by MAY months). Some things like meat can go bad not too far into the future but a lot of that is b/c people have dirty hands when they handle it, either at home or at the deli -even dirty meat cutting machines can be a huge source bacterial contamination. For meats itcomes down to they type, if it is smoked/preserved, if its ground, etc, and if frozen, well then it lasts a LOT longer and doesn't really count, IMO.

So I'm wondering what this milk is going to be like in a couple days and how long it will keep in the fridge before it goes bad. I'm hesitant to really drink any of this but would really like to see if this milk can be stored (unopened) like I had it for so long periods at room temp or even higher. If this is the case then that really is a game changer in some places with little to no refrigeration!

Worst case I might try to make some kind of cheese which will be interesting pr put it in compost.

On another note, I also have some REAL 1/2 & 1/2 that went through the same thing, but I didn't try any of that. I'm planning on the same thing, but this might make a lot more cheese if I decide to go that way since it has so much more fat (oh and it isn't lactose free, so if it is bad, maybe it is the lactose)

Anyone else ever experience this or have any suggestions on what to do with the gallon of milk & 1/2 & 1/2?

originally posted by: DigginFoTroof


A number of months ago I couldn't figure out where a 1/2 gallon of milk I had bought had disappeared to. I figured I had left it at the store, so I put it out of my mind. Well it had gotten wrapped up in a large blanket in the trunk of my car and has been there until today. ... NO abnormal smell and it was about 75F at this point. So I shook it up, smelled again, still fine, looked fine and I poured about an ounce and took a sip. Tasted like totally fresh, warm milk, nothing different than any other warm milk I've ever tasted. ...

Not with milk. And I'm not one to pay much attention to sell-by dates; generally, I taste it and if it tastes good, I consume. But that's weird!

I'm trusting that you didn't consume it anyway. I'd definitely throw it out.

A few years ago, my brother brought me some stuff from his girlfriend's fridge. She was a nutjob, generally speaking, and she'd bought a bunch of stuff that she was never going to consume. Most of it was still good stuff, but there were some bottles of drinkable yogurt that were a little past their sell-by date. They tasted ok, so I had a couple.

Man, did I regret it! For, like, a couple of days I was regretting it!

Throw it out!

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Eww

LOL

Was it real milk i.e. unadulterated and without additives and processing that goes beyond pasteurisation?

Real milk should be just pasteurised and bottled.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I wouldn’t try any more than a sip dude.
But am interested in a follow up thread on this!

DONT DRINK THE MILK.

For gods as well as our sake.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

That milk is bad but your taste buds and nose are worse.

I'm sort of expert. Milk analyst and HTST Operator.

Throw it to the garbage now.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I don't believe you. Every time I find expired milk even by a few days in my fridge it's off.

Drink it. There can't possibly be anything wrong with 6 month old milk that's been in the trunk of a car.

I'm genuinely curious as the compunction that would lead someone to drink old milk, it's got to be similar to the people who jam paper clips in electrical outlets.

When milk goes, it won't make you sick. You'll get sick because of the smell and texture, but the milk inherently won't make you sick. The process in which it goes through removes literally everything in it.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Licking a 9 volt battery or shaking a hive of bees comes to mind.

a reply to: underwerks

Sticking your hand over the gas burner is another.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

The man took a sip of months-old milk from inside a hot car folks! DO NOT MESS WITH THIS GUY!



I wonder if the lactose free milk was also "ultra-pasteurized" as many of the organic milks are? (And if so, if that would make a difference.)

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: underwerks

Sticking your hand over the gas burner is another.

Um,....how else will you know if it's hot? Duh.

a reply to: underwerks

You dont deal with 9 volts much, do ya...

Its not like it hurts, its 9 volts with minimal current afterall. Id even go so far to say that everyone who deals with lots of 9 volts tests them with a quick lick. Its actually one of the nice things about 'em.

As for the milk, DFT, is it possible your taste buds are off from testing 9 volts the old fashioned way?

I do wonder if being lactose free changes things, but as others have.. I will strongly advise against drinking that milk. At least too much..

Kinda curious if being put in the fridge will change anything though.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Bobbing for chicken wings in a deep fryer .

Here’s a question .

What happens when sour cream goes bad ?

Is it good again ?

originally posted by: network dude
Um,....how else will you know if it's hot? Duh.

When the victim screams.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: network dude
Um,....how else will you know if it's hot? Duh.

When the victim screams.

see, that's why we consider you yankees uncivilized. Down here, we call it "the meal".

originally posted by: network dude
see, that's why we consider you yankees uncivilized. Down here, we call it "the meal".

Admittedly I am a savage.