I just bought some milk (half gallon cardboard carton), got it home and noticed the date says March 14. Does it really last that long before going sour, or did some computer erroneously use months instead of weeks?

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 14, 2000

Answers

Stick in the fridge for two weeks them let me know how it tastes! Very dumb question.

-- Rich (polaris@saltspring.com), January 14, 2000.

Not a stupid question, depending on the milk you bought. In Italy, a company named "Parmalat" produces milk which will last two to three MONTHS ON THE SHELF - no refrigeration!!! I have no idea how they do it, but I've been there and I've had it. It does come in a cardboard box. They have a website, but last time I checked it, it was Italian only. I believe they export it to the US, and I think there is a US company that makes a similare product, although I don't know that company's name.

robert bright

-- robert bright (roosterbos@go.com), January 14, 2000.

It is sold in the U.S. and Canada also. The milk comes in small cardbord boxes, rectangular in shape, not quite a full liter. You'll find it on your grocery store shelves near condensed milk and such products. It is real whole milk and will store for over 2 months without refrigeration if the box is not opened. It's been around for years, at least 20+, my mom used to keep some in the cupboard for emergencies.

I got several boxes for y2k preps, will start to use and rotate them soon.

-- Cow (moo@moo.moo), January 14, 2000.

Interesting, thanks Robert and Cow. The milk I bought is the "normal" kind that says "keep refrigerated" and "best quality if used within seven days after opening." I still find it difficult to believe that it could last 2 months if you don't open it, so I'm going to call this one a Y2K glitch. Can anyone think of a way that the system could perhaps be miscalculating and printing 2 months in advance instead of 2 weeks? Strange. I hope this isn't happening with eggs and other foods that could be harmful or even deadly after that long.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 14, 2000.

Hawk......

i think you're right........i've never heard of regular grocery store milk being shelf dated for that long

i could be wrong.....but sure seems like milk is usually dated for only a couple of weeks at most from purchase date to "use by" date

we've been buying Rice Dream milk.....it's made from rice...comes in the same "shelf" style cardboard carton that Parmalet comes in, but the Rice Dream's shelf-life is almost a year......and it's really very good! specially on cereal, as it has a sweeter taste than cow's milk

the Parmalet milk tastes like the 2% that we used to buy.......but i think the Rice Dream milk is much safer than hormone laden cow's milk

there are other "rice milk" brands....i'm just not familiar with them...but you can find them in any health food store or kroger or wal-mart

if you've never tried rice milk....you'll probably be pleasently surprised

-- mebs (andrea@mebs.lurking), January 14, 2000.

When I was in the Navy, on long duration cruises, we were resupplied with irradiated milk. It came in single serving cardboard cartons like Hi-C comes in. It was good at room temp for months. The only problems I ever had with it was if one of those cartons had a tiny pinhole leak in it, you wouldn't know until you stuck your straw in it and sucked in a mouthful of months-old sour milk. They were supposedly rare, but I had it happen to me four times over 17 months at sea. Definitely enough to make you lose your appetite for the rest of your meal.

-- Powder (Powder47keg@aol.com), January 14, 2000.

Cardboard Aseptic juice and milk packages (small boxes with straws attached to side and not refrigerated) found on the shelves of grocery stores have a 9 month shelf life.

They saturate the cardboard with Food Grade hydrogen peroxide as a preservative. Peroxide is in rain water and is found in the snow at high altitudes. Peroxide is found naturally in our bodies.

Also important alternative medicine reading: http://www.oxytherapy.com/

-- M.C. (mountaineer60@juno.com), January 14, 2000.

Once it's open, bacteria gets in it, so a normal shelf life, 2 weeks or so, goes into effect. The extended shelf life is due in part to improved pasteurization (killing bacteria).

Also, if you bought alot, it can be frozen. It just has to be shaken before each pour once it's thawed.

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 14, 2000.

Rice Dream rice milk... thanks mebs, I'll remember that. I like cereal, but don't care for hormones or homogenized industrial cow pus.

-- Cherokee (Cherokee@qtmail.com), January 14, 2000.

Call the company and ask them about the expiration date. They may pull all the milk off the shelves.

-- ~~~ (~~~@~~.xcom), January 14, 2000.

Hawk, are you sure it doesn't say "ultra-pasteurized" on the carton? A lot of dairies are starting to switch over to that process, alas. I think it makes the milk taste slightly off, and when they do it to cream it just doesn't whip as well.

If it is not ultra-pasteurized, definitely call them on it.

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), January 15, 2000.

Yes, it does say ultra-pasteurized. I wasn't aware that they had a process that could make milk last for over two months, because the date before has always been within 2 weeks. They must be filling it with all kinds of chemical preservatives... yuck! Come to think of it , it doesn't taste quite as good as the regular pasteurized I usually get. If this is what they are going to start selling, we might as well just buy powdered milk and add water.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 15, 2000.