Milk gone off before expiry date.

doctorg

So, I bought a few bottles of milk recently and all are gone off days before their expiry date.

So what am I entitled to now?

Yawns

Have you checked the temp of your fridge? Have you left the milk out? Only asking as her father always leaves milk out and is always angry when "that ****ing milk is gone off again and it's no where near the expiry!"

I would imagine if you went back to the shop and were nice about it, you would get some goodwill & have the milk replaced. You wouldn't be entitled to anything per say.

doctorg

Yawns wrote: »

Have you checked the temp of your fridge? Have you left the milk out? Only asking as her father always leaves milk out and is always angry when "that ****ing milk is gone off again and it's no where near the expiry!"

I would imagine if you went back to the shop and were nice about it, you would get some goodwill & have the milk replaced. You wouldn't be entitled to anything per say.

The temp is fine also it was in the fridge!

Lawrence1895

doctorg wrote: »

The temp is fine also it was in the fridge!

Maybe the fridge in the shop was faulty, but it's hard to prove.

I would go down there anyway, and try to get it replaced.

Yawns

Best to bring it back and explain nicely, should get you some replacements as I said for goodwill. Unless they have a few people coming back with same complaint, they will just assume it's how you're storing it. I've seen lots of people leave milk sitting out on the counter for a while after using it and with the recent temps, it's definitely not a good thing.

mike65

The number of opportunities for milk to go off in this kind of heat is many and varied right from the farm gate on. However nearly all such instances can be traced to people throwing a litre of milk onto the seat of the car for the journey home and not packing it away or not putting back in the fridge IMMEDIATELY after use.

In this weather I only buy the minimum to avoid waste

skinny90

With the weather being so hot and humid this is natural and c an happen a lot easier.

foggy_lad

Have you checked your fridge temperature? The fridge could be faulty and operating a degree or two above normal which in this weather will sour milk over a few days. Another possibility is that the fridge door does not close over fully when closed.

sandin

doctorg wrote: »

So, I bought a few bottles of milk recently and all are gone off days before their expiry date.

So what am I entitled to now?

Best before day only applies if kept in refridgerated conditions.

As said earlier, the journey home from the shop is worst - temperature in a car can reach 40+ degrees very quickly (the official readings are in controlled shaded conditions)
Even out of a fridge for 5 minutes in current conditions will cause it to go off a lot quicker.

Rather than cause yourself a lot of agro over a euro, bring a cooler bag or even a frozen bottle of water shopping, put all refridgerated stuff in the bag, bottle of ice water at the top (cold air moves to bottom) and this will allow you a good 30- 45 minutes before having to get it into the fridge.

Set fridge to near max aswell and keep the amount of time the fridge is pen to an absolute minimum (temp in fridge can rise about 10 degrees in 30 seconds if room temp is 25.)

ScouseMouse

There seems to be one of these theads every year.

Its quite normal for milk to go off at this time of year. As the weather warms up, the milk has been allowed to warm up also. Hence the milk spoils early.

Farmer to dairy.
Dairy on lorry to shop.
Shop to storeroom to shopfloor to fridge.
Shopping trolley to till to car.
In boot of car until you finish your shopping or you get home.
Into fridge and then in and out multiple times. Left on worktop....

Somewhere in all that the milk has warmed up and now you see its soured early. Its impossible to tell where it happened.

Even if it was known where it warmed up, nobody would admit it.

Your best bet is to POLITELY return it to the shop and swap it.

Dont get wound up, theres no point crying over spilt/spoilt milk:D

wmpdd3

some 3l of milk were separated coming off the truck last week, its just too hot, must be why you can only get UHT on your holidays.

ScouseMouse

wmpdd3 wrote: »

some 3l of milk were separated coming off the truck last week, its just too hot, must be why you can only get UHT on your holidays.

Thats pretty much it. The hot weather does this every year.
Ever had american chocolate? Its really strong and manky tasting. Thats because with the warm weather over there, they put in less milk and it reduces the instances of the chocolate melting in the warmer weather.

ThisRegard

wmpdd3 wrote: »

must be why you can only get UHT on your holidays.

You can get all kinds of milk on 'holidays'.

superscouse wrote: »

Thats because with the warm weather over there, they put in less milk and it reduces the instances of the chocolate melting in the warmer weather.

It's to do with a difference in continental tastes and the UK (and probably Irish) requirement that chocolate has to have at least 20% cocoa (European requirements is around 40%). There's also more additives and sugar in American chocolate and the manufacturing process is different.

rubadub

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/9701412/Non-melting-chocolate-invented-by-Cadburys.html

Food scientists working at Cadbury's research plant in Bournville, near Birmingham, claim their new Dairy Milk bars will remain solid even when left in 104F (40C) heat for three hours.
But the company, which was taken over by American food group Kraft two years ago, says it will only sell the product in warmer countries like India and Brazil because there is "no market" for it in the UK....

Tony Bilsborough, head of corporate affairs at Kraft Foods, said there were "no plans" to use the new recipe in Britain where temperatures are rarely high enough to damage chocolate, adding: "This simply would not sell".
"To be honest I don't think any chocoholics would welcome this recipe because it would not taste as good as Dairy Milk," he said.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-high-temperature_processing#Popularity

UHT milk has seen large success in much of Europe, where across the continent as a whole 7 out of 10 Europeans drink it regularly.[6] In fact, in a hot country such as Spain, UHT is preferred due to high costs of refrigerated transportation and "inefficient cool cabinets".[7] Europe's largest manufacturer, Parmalat, had $6 billion of sales in 1999.[6] UHT is less popular in Northern Europe and Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is also less popular in Greece, where fresh pasteurized milk is the most popular type of milk.

I don't think its a coincidence that it happens to be popular in the more northern/colder countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBwwcU2c3u4

ThisRegard

rubadub wrote: »

I don't think its a coincidence that it happens to be popular in the more northern/colder countries.

Popular or unpopular, UHT ?

Outkast_IRE

Its happening loads of people in the last few weeks.

I can explain why.

Not all areas of your fridge are equally cold.

The bottom door shelves are generally recognised as the warmest part of your fridge, and unfortunately in this prolonged very warm weather we are having the milk may not be kept at the correct temperature on these shelves. Most people keep milk on these door shelves.

To solve move the milk and any other items which need to be very cool such as cold meats, etc to the back wall of the fridge usually in the middle of the fridge or higher up is better.

If the fridge is an older one, this advice rings especially true.

dudara

The temperatures at the moment aren't helping matters. I just bought a pound of butter in the shop. Five minute walk home and the pound of butter was well-softened by the time I unpacked it from the bag. I've never seen butter soften that fast in ambient conditions.

mike65

Broadly hot countries shun dairy produce don't they?

madanall

doctorg wrote: »

So, I bought a few bottles of milk recently and all are gone off days before their expiry date.

So what am I entitled to now?

I would say that it has left a sour taste in your mouth

Aineoil

As some one who lived in the Middle East for two years, you can't leave anything to chance. Everything most go into the fridge asap.

allthedoyles

We buy this in Tesco all the time , and you will have no worries of it going off , ever.

The_Conductor

wmpdd3 wrote: »

some 3l of milk were separated coming off the truck last week, its just too hot, must be why you can only get UHT on your holidays.

Absolutely no issue getting fresh milk, as opposed to UHT milk, in Portugal, Spain, Italy or Greece- our Mediterranean cousins. Some countries may only have a single main brand for fresh milk- others may have a plethora. It is readily available though. I had a similar conversation with my late Mum when she moved to Portugal- and she was amazed when I went to the local supermarket and brought home 4 litres of fresh milk. Note- the shelf life of fresh milk in Mediterranean countries is deliberately varied depending on the time of year- in the summertime- 3 to 4 days is the norm- in the winter- a week or even longer isn't unusual.

Here in Ireland- we don't seem to vary the expected shelf life of fresh dairy produce seasonally- perhaps there is a valid argument for suggesting this to the NDC (or some similar body). In the wintertime- it wouldn't be unusual for fresh milk to easily last 10 days, sometimes it might be perfectly drinkable up to 12-14 days, I'm not suggesting its a good idea to put a forthnight's shelf life on it- just to elongate its shelf life.

The big issue at home- is fridge temperature. Just because it feels cold- doesn't mean its cold enough. You can get electronic thermometers that monitor the temperature- and bleep at you if its insufficient when you open the fridge (aka there is a photosensor on them). Not sure the price of them- I was given one as a present- you put it on the top shelf (aka the warmest part of the fridge) and if it goes over 4 degrees (or whatever you set it to)- it bleeps at you when you open the fridge.

CommanderC

Just had a conversation with two people about this today. It has happened to all three of us in the last few weeks. I thought it was some kind of a scam with the dates :pac:

dudara

I remember that Safefood ran a promotion several years ago where they gave away free fridge "thermometers" to consumers. They were simple sensor things, but they wanted to educate people about having their fridge at the correct level of cold.

The_Conductor

dudara wrote: »

I remember that Safefood ran a promotion several years ago where they gave away free fridge "thermometers" to consumers. They were simple sensor things, but they wanted to educate people about having their fridge at the correct level of cold.

Yes- I remember those things- they turned different colours depending on the temperature. Quite basic- but useful nonetheless.

Femme_Fatale

This thread is actually for real? Just assumed it was a wind-up like a thread here before from a guy who wanted his money back from Xtra Vision because he thought the film was crap.

It's just a basic part of life that milk goes off quicker in unusually warm weather. Lol at this being considered a "consumer issue". :pac:

Sheltered life how are ya. The fridge might not have been cold enough either - just saying it was "fine" doesn't mean it was.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

This thread is actually for real? Just assumed it was a wind-up like a thread here before from a guy who wanted his money back from Xtra Vision because he thought the film was crap.

It's just a basic part of life that milk goes off quicker in unusually warm weather. Lol at this being considered a "consumer issue". :pac:

Sheltered life how are ya. The fridge might not have been cold enough either - just saying it was "fine" doesn't mean it was.

Thank you! I have been thinking the same thing for days. One of the more active threads - about a carton of sour milk!

scudzilla

I'm more amazed that the OP managed to buy BOTTLES of milk

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

scudzilla wrote: »

I'm more amazed that the OP managed to buy BOTTLES of milk

Never noticed that!

The_Conductor

Aiyana Gentle Sandbox wrote: »

Never noticed that!

You can still buy milk by the pint- but you bring your own bottles for refills- because they charge 7.50-10 for the bottles. Obviously you have to clean the bottles properly- they just shoot a blast of steam in to sterilise it, and put a nice foil top on the bottle, just like the good old days.

Its very much a niche market- and more a gimmick (tourist'y thing) than anything else- but some people swear by it.

Available in a significant number of weekly farmer's markets around the country- and while its not really any cheaper than buying your milk in the shops- it is pasteurised (not so sure about homogenised), and you're probably doing your little bit for the planet by reducing the mileage on your milk.

Have a look out at the next farmer's mart you're in.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

The_Conductor wrote: »

You can still buy milk by the pint- but you bring your own bottles for refills- because they charge 7.50-10 for the bottles. Obviously you have to clean the bottles properly- they just shoot a blast of steam in to sterilise it, and put a nice foil top on the bottle, just like the good old days.

Its very much a niche market- and more a gimmick (tourist'y thing) than anything else- but some people swear by it.

Available in a significant number of weekly farmer's markets around the country- and while its not really any cheaper than buying your milk in the shops- it is pasteurised (not so sure about homogenised), and you're probably doing your little bit for the planet by reducing the mileage on your milk.

Have a look out at the next farmer's mart you're in.

I very much doubt it that this is how the OP bought this particular milk. But if it is so, then no wonder it went off in this weather.
A red herring me thinks!