How Long Does Evaporated Milk Last? Does it Go Bad?

There are times when you find pantry cans of evaporated milk in your storage.

People buy things in bulk to make them cost-efficient.

But then they get confused about whether one should use them or do evaporated milk go bad after long storage.

It is true that milk will not be able to retain the exact same quality if you use them after a long time of purchase.

But it is not necessary that milk will surely go bad beyond its best by date.

What is Evaporated Milk?

It is unsweetened condensed milk which is the form of concentrated milk.

This milk comes in cans and can be found easily in any supermarket.

The consistency of this milk is usually high, as 60% of water is removed from regular milk to make evaporated milk.

Then the milk is homogenized to minimize the growth of harmful microorganisms.

As the milk is canned and preserved thus, it naturally develops bacteria, which makes the homogenization process essential.

The milk is creamy and thicker; the flavor is more caramelized than regular milk.

Even though the milk is processed still, its nutritional components are intact.

This milk is best for people who are looking for food intake that can help them gain weight.

One can also prepare several dishes using evaporated milk, like soups, casseroles, potatoes, oatmeal, and much more.

How Long Does Evaporated Milk Last? Does Evaporated Milk Go Bad?

Even though it is a dairy product, it can still be preserved for a long time.

That is because when the water content is evaporated, its life gets extended for longer.

Therefore life will not be as short as two days but will only be extended to a few months.

If we talk about the shelf life of evaporated milk, if it is an unopened can, then you can expect it to last for a couple of months after the date provided on its packaging.

But once the pack is opened, you cannot expect it to last that long, and it will only last for 4 to 5 days.

The best-before date is present on the pack, but it does not consider your milk bad if it has passed that date.

It is the date until you can have the best version of the milk, and beyond which, it will deteriorate in taste and texture.

However, to make the canned milk last more, you can try freezing it.

When you have leftovers, be sure to freeze them within 5 days, and then you can have them for a few more days.

How to Tell if Evaporated Milk Has Gone Bad?

• Lump Formation.

When you find an old can that you are sure when you kept, then you need to see if it is still fine to eat.

You can look for signs like do your milk has lumps in it.

When you prolong the storage of milk, then microorganisms and bacteria will make their home in them.

Due to this, the milk will form lumps; if you can see any lumps, avoid having that milk.

• Change in Color.

Do you remember that when you bought the milk then, its color used to be white? But as time passed, the color turned yellow.

The condensed milk, which has a sweetener, can be yellow in the beginning.

However, if unsweetened milk is showing yellow color, then it’s time to discard it.

• Foul Smell.

When you open the can of fresh evaporated milk, then the fragrance is appetizing.

But as soon as bacteria get develop in the milk, it begins to smell awful.

The milk smell will become foul and strong, and it will spread all around if you open the can.

It is a clear indication that your milk is no more edible.

How to Store Evaporated Milk?

• Storage Area.

When you are storing the milk, then you need to think that after how much time you will use it.

If you want to use the canned milk after a couple of days, an open can serve you for a week.

But if you are planning to use it after months, then you should store its unopened cans in the pantry.

• Pest Issues.

While storing, the most common problem is a pest because most of the time, the milk is entirely safe, but pests do get inside; they can make it go bad even before its period.

Therefore you need to choose a place that is free from pest ad bugs.

Many people choose their kitchen cupboards, but these are most likely infested with pests.

• Use Refrigerator.

Use the refrigerator if you have an opened can of evaporated milk.

Unopened cans cannot last long without refrigerating or freezing them.

Thus one should transfer the milk into an airtight container and freeze it until they are going to use it.

Conclusion

You can see that by adopting good ways of storage, you can make milk last longer.

People who are sure they will not use them recently are advised to keep the can unopened and in the pantry.

One must not have bad evaporated milk as it can be harmful.

So you should examine the milk carefully and see if they have any bad signs that were mentioned earlier.

Instead of compromising with the taste, you should discard the milk as it can lead to food poisoning.

If the can is leaked or has any opening in it has undoubtedly gone bad, and you should throw it out.