Sour milk?

[pbm]

Has anybody else noticed that milk isn't lasting until the 'Sell Buy' date?
I buy a gallon of milk that says (for instance) "Sell Buy August 20th" and it's gone sour by the 17th or so.
At first I thought it was a Walmart thing but it doesn't seem to matter where we buy it....Costco, Aldi, Walmart or even our local supermarket chains (Shoprite, Price Chopper, Stop and Shop etc...).

 

[Inked]

Don’t know if there’s any correlation but I noticed that the less milk in the container the truer your observation is.

 

[kschachn]

Has anybody else noticed that milk isn't lasting until the 'Sell Buy' date?
I buy a gallon of milk that says (for instance) "Sell Buy August 20th" and it's gone sour by the 17th or so.
At first I thought it was a Walmart thing but it doesn't seem to matter where we buy it....Costco, Aldi, Walmart or even our local supermarket chains (Shoprite, Price Chopper, Stop and Shop etc...).

You need to stop drinking out of the container.

Seriously though I have not noticed. I'm the only one in our house that drinks cow's milk so a gallon is lasting longer these days than it used to, and so far I haven't noticed it going bad faster. I buy either Kwik Trip or Costco milk and have been able to finish it before it goes sour.

 

[Warstud]

Check your Fridge . Milk should be kept at 37 deg

 

[pbm]

You need to stop drinking out of the container.

Seriously though I have not noticed. I'm the only one in our house that drinks cow's milk so a gallon is lasting longer these days than it used to, and so far I haven't noticed it going bad faster. I buy either Kwik Trip or Costco milk and have been able to finish it before it goes sour.

I'm glad to hear that. I'm guessing the milk isn't being refrigerated soon enough at stores in my area due to lack of employees. IDK if the lack of employees that I imagine is the cause is because of higher minimum wages or competition or too generous 'public assistance' programs keeping people away from jobs.

 

[alarmguy]

Has anybody else noticed that milk isn't lasting until the 'Sell Buy' date?
I buy a gallon of milk that says (for instance) "Sell Buy August 20th" and it's gone sour by the 17th or so.
At first I thought it was a Walmart thing but it doesn't seem to matter where we buy it....Costco, Aldi, Walmart or even our local supermarket chains (Shoprite, Price Chopper, Stop and Shop etc...).

Yes I have noticed a while ago, enough to check the temperature of our refrigerator at the time. A good temperature for your refrigerator is 35 to 37.
Since then not because of it we have been buying organic skim milk, it’s just my wife and I now.
Since the organic is super pasteurized it is dated months in advanced and NEVER goes bad. However, that is not the real reason why we buy organic. That is just a side benefit since it is just my wife and I now we find it’s worth the extra expense for the organic skim milk as it definitely, definitely, taste more full and creamy than non-organic skim.

Yet every once in a great while for whatever reason if we buy regular skim milk, we are reminded how quickly it goes sour.

The organic skim milk that we just purchased first week of September 2023 is dated for October 22, 2023.

 

[pbm]

Check your Fridge . Milk should be kept at 37 deg

My beer is planty cold...but I'll double check.

 

[JavierH19]

Is the fridge temp the lowest it can be. Also never drink out of the spout or lay the cap on something dirty as that speeds bacteria growth a lot.

 

[atikovi]

Maybe get the powdered variety so that wouldn't be a problem?

 

[andrew_j]

If along the way the milk gets warmed up (left out) it shortens life. Also once you open it only lasts x days irrelevant to the date stamped .

 

[4WD]

Horizon Organic = 1/2 gallon carton with plastic spout/cap is good on freshness date …

 

[4WD]

If along the way the milk gets warmed up (left out) it shortens life. Also once you open it only lasts x days irrelevant to the date stamped .

One reason to buy 1/2 gallon if that matches consumption

 

[Warstud]

Maybe you should give more to the Cat

 

[pbm]

If along the way the milk gets warmed up (left out) it shortens life. Also once you open it only lasts x days irrelevant to the date stamped .

As I stated in post #5...that's what I think is happening.

 

[pbm]

Maybe you should give more to the Cat

It's funny you say that because I started giving milk to the feral cats that visit our yard until I read that cow's milk really isn't great for them. A few years ago we had kittens all over the place and had a great woman from the local shelter come and trap them* (and the adults too)....all the kittens (which were gorgeous) were adopted and the adults were set free in our yard again. They stay within our yard and 2 or 3 neighbors yards and are doing great (but still won't let us touch them).

* If I remember correctly there were 19 total between kittens and adults....it's amazing the adults are still doing well since we have coyotes around as well....

 

[99Saturn]

Not an issue for us as we go through a gallon or two a week but I would agree with those that have said once it is open you basically start the path to spoilage, sell by date isn’t really as important then.

Also from working in a local grocery when I was younger I’d be less inclined to believe multiple stores are letting milk sit out to cause premature spoilage. Lots of places unload directly to a dock for the refrigerated section and stuff that has its own cart or even dedicated coolers (like milk often does) just plug the next one “in line”.

 

[ChrisMU]

I buy lactose free milk for the sole reason of it lasting longer.

 

[SHOZ]

I use to drink 3-4 gallons a week of milk. Then went low carb/hi fat and only use real whipping cream now. 5-6 quarts a week.

 

[alarmguy]

Horizon Organic = 1/2 gallon carton with plastic spout/cap is good on freshness date …

Yes same experience with any supermarket brand of Organic milk too.

 

[Lubener]

Has anybody else noticed that milk isn't lasting until the 'Sell Buy' date?
I buy a gallon of milk that says (for instance) "Sell Buy August 20th" and it's gone sour by the 17th or so.
At first I thought it was a Walmart thing but it doesn't seem to matter where we buy it....Costco, Aldi, Walmart or even our local supermarket chains (Shoprite, Price Chopper, Stop and Shop etc...).

Likely means someone along the chain hasn't handled the product properly and it was exposed to room temperatures too long. I would buy your milk elsewhere. I just finished a gallon which was five days beyond the sell by date and it was still good.