There are a lot of different kinds of milk. Yesterday you’ve seen some cans of evaporated milk.
Eva-what? You can hardly remember you bought these in the first place. The evaporated milk is already far past the printed date. Does evaporated milk go bad?
Luckily, this milk is canned. Canned goods are made to last longer, it’s as simple as that. It can last a very long time.
In this article, we will learn more about evaporated milk, its shelf-life, how to store it, and spoilage.
Enjoy the read!
How Long Can Evaporated Milk Last
We will start by giving you an overview of the indicative periods of how long evaporated milk can last:
| Evaporated Milk | Pantry | Refrigerator |
|---|---|---|
| Unopened | Best-by date + up to 6 months | same |
| Opened | / | Up to 5 days |
You can buy canned evaporated milk at the store. It always comes with a printed date, indicating how long the quality or freshness should last. This doesn’t mean you can’t drink it anymore past this date. It allows you to monitor easily and you’ll know what to expect or what not to expect from quality or freshness.
An unopened can of evaporated milk will last up to 6 months past the best-by date, that’s a quite long period for a product stashed in the pantry.
From the moment you open the can, it is best consumed within the first 5 days, the sooner the better of course. Don’t take any risks with this!
If you’ve too much milk for what you need, try to finish it as soon as possible or opt for freezing the leftovers. You can read more about this later in this chapter.
The above, indicative, periods of how long canned evaporated milk can last are just that, indicative periods because they depend on a lot of factors, and one of those factors is storing it correctly.
How To Store Evaporated Milk
Storing evaporated milk isn’t that hard since it is mostly sold in tin cans. These tin cans make sure it will last for a very long time past the best-by date (up to 6 months).
As we’ve said before, opening it will expose it to external threats. These cans are best stored in the pantry, in a dark and cool place, safely hidden away from direct sunlight and any heat sources. Opening it will let it last for about 5 days more, but that’s it.
A great tip is to transfer any leftover evaporated milk into an airtight container or jar that can be sealed very tight and stored in the fridge after this. Always, but always store it in the refrigerator after opening it.
Storing it unopened in your fridge can also be a great routine or habit but it isn’t required. This depends on what’s already in your fridge and if you’ve some room for it.
Milk is a dairy product and thus very delicate and perishable. Some people seem to forget this.
Always label your opened evaporated milk with the correct date and time of opening it. This way, managing your food and drinks will be a lot easier and more effective.
You can also make evaporated milk yourself at home. Store this directly in the fridge if you have any left.
If you have a lot of evaporated milk left, you could also go for freezing the leftovers.
Can You Freeze Evaporated Milk
I can hear or see you thinking: luckily, we can freeze our evaporated milk that’s left.
Yes, that’s true but if you know that evaporated milk is delicate and perishable and that freezing and thawing will impact the quality and texture of the milk, we advise you to think twice about this.
Freezing also means thawing. Thawing evaporated milk will affect the texture and consistency of the milk.
Luckily, you can do a lot of things with evaporated milk and use it as an ingredient when you’re cooking and baking.
Of course, even if it’s too far gone, don’t do this but it will be okay in most cases. We advise you not to drink it anymore yourself after thawing, period.
If you’re unsure of how to detect if your evaporated milk is still good or already has gone bad, you can use the following guidelines.
How Can You Tell If Evaporated Milk Has Gone Bad
When it comes to detecting spoilage, things aren’t that hard. There’s always a very structured approach you can apply when doing this.
Combine this with the knowledge that evaporated milk is a dairy product and you’ll know that you must be extra careful.
Look for the following signs:
- Does the evaporated milk have a darker color? Evaporated milk has a white color and should always have a white color. Don’t doubt when you see some spots that have a color different from white. Discard it immediately.
- Are there any black spots? This can be a sign of mold. Don’t doubt, discard it immediately.
- Does the evaporated milk have a weird smell? If you smell something funny or unpleasant, discard it straight away.
- Is that can a bit swollen or expanded? When opening it, does it make a sound? This might indicate that the bacteria already have gotten in there and done a great (not for you) job. Discard it. Don’t even think about it to eat it.
- How is the taste? Does it taste odd? Don’t taste it further and rinse your mouth with water.
When you use evaporated milk, there might be some small layer on top of it, that’s quite normal as this is because of the separation process of fat. You can stir and heat this up to get this away. Of course, if the taste or smell is off, don’t bother and discard it straight away.
We on GoodOrGoneBad always say you don’t have to take unnecessary risks as food poisoning is something you should avoid. While some products can be quite expensive, that cost doesn’t outweigh your well-being and health as a human being. If there’s doubt about drinking evaporated milk, just discard it and buy some new evaporated milk.
Enjoy your Evaporated Milk!