Have you been caught with an expired carton of cream?
Heavy cream has an indefinite shelf life when properly stored; however, refrigeration should always be applied when leaving at room temperature. Read on to gain more knowledge on its shelf life and signs of spoilage.
Refrigeration
If your cream does not bear an expiration date, the best way to tell whether it has gone sour is its smell. If it has an offensive rancid or sulfurous aroma, then it is no longer safe to consume.
Refrigerating any opened container of heavy cream is wise, even if it hasn’t yet spoilt. Doing so will prevent bacteria growth that could make you sick as well as preserve its texture and flavor.
If you plan on keeping cream in the refrigerator, be sure to use an airtight, clean container to protect it from air or odors. A resealable carton that whipping cream comes in is ideal; otherwise aluminum foil and rubber bands work just as effectively. Be sure to place the carton nearer the back of your fridge, where temperature fluctuations won’t have as great an effect on it.
Refrigerator temperatures help slow the growth of bacteria in cream, so it should last much longer when stored there than at room temperature. To maximize freshness and extend shelf life even further, it is also advisable to store it away from any doors of the refrigerator as this exposes it to more bacteria than storing it at the back.
Refrigerated heavy cream should last at room temperature for no more than two hours after having been refrigerated before needing to be thrown away, as it will have become contaminated with food-borne bacteria and should therefore be considered unsafe to consume.
Even though pasteurization with high heat kills most bacteria and spores in dairy products, some may still form over time and cause symptoms including nausea, stomach aches, diarrhea and fever.
When cream has begun to spoil, it is crucial that it is immediately discarded. A telltale sign may include an unpleasant odor; however, sometimes it can be more subtle. One good indicator that your carton of cream may no longer be fresh is if its consistency changes over time; another indication may be if its consistency separates, signalling its no longer fresh state.
Freezing
No matter if your whipping cream has been left sitting too long on the counter or you simply have some left overs, freezing can still save them! Heavy cream has an impressive shelf life when stored and frozen; up to three months is possible depending on conditions. However, certain things should be remembered when storing and freezing this dairy product.
For optimal results, freeze your heavy cream in its original packaging for maximum effectiveness. This will ensure that any air bubbles are eliminated before placing it into the freezer. If you don’t have one of the resealable cartons that heavy whipping cream often comes in, a plastic bag or rubber band will make a tight seal just as easily. When your container is complete, store it at the back of your freezer away from any foods which might quickly melt it or spoil it quickly.
Ideally, when freezing heavy cream it’s best to do so in small portions. This allows you to quickly retrieve small quantities for recipes or your morning coffee without defrosting an entire container of frozen cream. Furthermore, make sure that it’s stored in an ice crystal-resistant container so as not to risk sticking together or creating ice crystals in its storage space.
Heavy cream stored in the freezer can reduce or eliminate signs of spoilage, but it’s still wise to regularly inspect it for signs that it has gone bad, such as changes in texture from thick to runny or an unpleasant odor. If there is concern regarding possible bacterial contamination, using past its expiration date might be the safer option.
Be mindful when considering expiration dates as they’re only meant as guidelines. Your milk or dairy products should still retain their quality for several weeks after the printed date on their package has expired, but it’s wise to remain on guard against spoilage by being vigilant for signs of spoilage before using it. If bacterial contamination concerns are an issue for you, opt for ultrapasteurized heavy cream which has been heated to higher temperatures to destroy bacteria or spores that might exist in it.
Storing at Room Temperature
Keep heavy cream refrigerated at all times to extend its shelf life and stop any bacteria growth, so place it nearer to the back of the fridge, away from air vents for optimal temperature consistency.
If you plan on using your refrigerator to cook or make whipped cream, only remove what you need and store the container immediately back in afterward. Exposing it to hotter temperatures inside could hasten its spoilage faster.
Dairy products can become a breeding ground for dangerous food pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes, enteropathic E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Yersinia enterocolitica that cause diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and miscarriages among pregnant women. Most heavy cream purchased at grocery stores has already been pasteurized to reduce risks of contamination; however there may still be some items which haven’t gone through the process and spoil quickly.
Cream should last three days past its sell-by date in the fridge before becoming discolored and bacteria begin multiplying quickly, possibly leading to unpleasant odors or flavors that turn it brown quickly. It is always wise to be safe and only keep cream for up to one week after its sell-by date has passed in your fridge. Otherwise, the cream might stop whipping properly or may become discolored more rapidly with rapid bacteria growth, leading to unpleasant flavors or smells lingering on its surface.
To determine whether your cream has gone bad, sample a small spoonful and see how it tastes and textures compared with when first made. If the sample tastes sour or has significantly altered in terms of taste or texture from before use, dispose of immediately.
If you choose to store your cream at room temperature, make sure that it is securely wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil to keep out any moisture. If you don’t have one of the resealable heavy cream cartons with lids, a rubber band or piece of paper will work just fine as an makeshift seal.
Storing in the Freezer
If you have an expired carton of heavy cream or want to store some for future whipped cream making purposes, it is crucial that you know its shelf life before spoiling. The specific shelf life depends on storage conditions as well as when past its best-before date it was manufactured; also important is knowing which signs indicate when discarding such dairy products before it spoils completely.
Refrigerating heavy cream is the key to keeping it at its optimal freshness, so always store it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and store in the back of the fridge where temperatures remain at an even cool. After opening it can be used up to two hours later in recipes; otherwise it can be divided and frozen for future use.
Heavy cream can last in your freezer for up to a month without becoming rancid, saving both money and effort from having to purchase new cartons at stores. Before freezing, ensure it is properly sealed so as to not come into contact with other food products and reduce the time required to thaw out after defrosting. Furthermore, small portions such as half or one cups can make pulling out only what’s necessary easier, while decreasing time taken for defrosting and making it quicker overall.
Heavy cream has an average shelf life of three days after the date printed on its package has expired ([EM]). To determine how long your dairy product will keep going, read its label carefully and observe whether its consistency differs significantly from your usual one; if so, this could indicate it was never suitable for whipping or may contain unwanted flavors such as vinegar that make whipping impossible or has a bitter aftertaste.