Tell if Milk is Bad
Almost everyone drinks milk on a regular basis because of its richness in nutrients and its necessity for the body. But drinking spoiled milk can hide all its goodness. It can cause a variety of problems like food poisoning and stomach aches. Therefore it is necessary to determine whether milk is good and fresh enough for drinking. This article will guide you to determine if the milk is bad or not.
Steps
- Smell the milk. Fresh milk should have no odor at all and must have the usual smell of the milk. The milk starts smelling unpleasantly and tastes tangy if it has gone off.
- Check the consistency. Milk is a thin liquid with a smooth texture. It should not have an inconsistent color, lumps or be yogurt like. Quarantine the milk immediately if it has a thick cottage cheese like appearance.
- Inspect the color. Milk should always be a pure clean white. If the milks carton is not transparent, try pouring some into a glass and hold it up to light. Spoiled milk is normally a darker shade such as yellow.
- Verify the 'best before' date. It is required by law that milk has to have a 'best before' stamped on the packing. Scientists recommend to use milk before 3 days of the 'best before' date.
- Check if the milk was kept in room temperature for long. Due to different circumstances milk can go off before the use by date. Milk should be stored at 39°F (4°C), but when stored in the freezer it can last the 'best before' date.
- Microwave a sample. Pour some milk in a microwavable glass and put it in the microwave for a minute. Observe the hot milk and if it has lumps or becomes gooey, throw it out.
