Shelf Life of Milk: This is How Long it Can be Kept After Opening

Opened milk in the refrigerator can have a different shelf life depending on the type of product you consume. In this article, we look at the correct shelf life of the well-known dairy product after opening.

Shelf life of milk in the refrigerator

Different milk products have different shelf lives. The label of a product often states exactly how long the milk can be kept after opening and how it needs to be stored.

• After opening, UHT milk can usually be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
• Fresh milk has a shelf life of 5 days.
• Raw milk can be kept for about 3-4 days after opening.
• Unlike other dairy products, vegan variants of oat and almond milk can also be consumed 12-14 days after opening.

Characteristics that indicate whether milk is still drinkable

If you can’t remember the last time you opened the milk in the fridge, there are a few indicators that can tell you if it’s still safe to drink.

• After opening the UHT milk for more than 7 days, it will not smell, but it may have a sour taste and hazy color.
• Fresh milk has a particularly sour odor after the product is no longer usable.
• You can also recognize the usability of plant milk by the smell and the structure of milk, which is cloudy or contains suspended particles.

Shelf life of other dairy products

Besides drinking milk, other dairy products such as yogurt and quark have their own characteristics and shelf life.

• Yogurt is usually good 2 days after opening and then you can tell by the smell that it is not advisable to consume.
• Quark can also be used up to 2 days after opening the product and there are several indications of how good this dairy product is to use.