Unopened new 2% milk left on the floor overnight: Will it go bad faster?
Asked by
jca (
36062
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January 29th, 2011
Yesterday evening I went to Costco and bought two one gallons of 2% milk. I accidentally forgot to put it in the refrigerator until I discovered it this morning. You know stores refrigerate their milk pretty cold – this morning it still felt someone cool to the touch. It was out of refrigeration about 12 hours (8 pm to 8 am).
Will that milk go bad faster than it would if I refrigerated it right away upon returning home?
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9 Answers
It depends on the temp on the floor of the room. I’d say better safe than sorry. Toss it.
Most likely yes. You could freeze one.
It’s been pasturized and since it’s unopened shouldn’t pick up anything airborne from your home. I’d taste it, and use it first.
If they were still cool…..I wouldn’t worry too much… Might go bad a day before they normally do… lol I’ve drank milk a week after the date and was fine
Yes, it will go bad much faster.
Faster, yes, definitely. According to the Wisconsin Dairy Council, for every 5 degrees above the ideal storage temperature of 40 degrees, the life of the milk is shortened by 50%. Of course, that means holding the milk at those temperatures over the course of its storage. It doesn’t mean that a shorter period at those higher temps will have that kind of dramatic effect.
It would help to get the temperature of the milk back down as quickly as possible. I’d set the bottles in the sink in ice water. That would cool them down much faster that just sticking them in the fridge.
It would depend on the ambient temperature. But sure, faster. The neat thing about low fat milk is that it freezes well. If you’re worried you’re not going to get through both, now that you’ve lessened it’s ‘best by’ date, freeze one. Just give the frozen one a good shake when and as it thaws out to break up the ice crystals.
Note: don’t keep milk in the fridge door and it will keep longer than it’s ‘use by’ date.
It will go bad faster. I would still drink it if you go through milk quickly.
Safe now, will go bad faster.
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