With the cost of groceries continuing to rise, it’s only natural to want to use every item in your fridge wisely. Maybe you’ve been getting creative by cooking with food scraps or challenging yourself to integrate leftovers into new dishes.
One habit that can lead to spending more money on groceries is throwing away products before they’re actually bad. With that in mind, you may be wondering if it’s safe to eat foods and drinks past their sell-by date. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, many food dates refer to quality, not safety. But if that’s true, how do you know when it’s actually unsafe to eat or drink something?
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While eating rice or pasta that’s been stashed in your pantry for a long time may not freak you out too much, most people know not to mess around with spoiled milk. Just the thought of drinking spoiled milk might make you gag. But what exactly is spoiled milk and what happens if you do drink it by accident?
We took these questions to three food safety experts, who were more than happy to share their tips for safe milk consumption. More of an alternative milk drinker? Head’s up: Plant-based milks expire, too, something else the food safety experts talk about below.
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First things first: What exactly is spoiled milk? “Spoiled milk is milk that has gone bad, often smelling sour, tasting off or appearing lumpy or curdled. It is caused by bacteria naturally present in milk multiplying, especially when milk is not kept cold enough, and producing lactic acid that changes its taste, smell and texture,” explains Dr. Vanessa Coffman, PhD, the director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness.
Melissa Wright, the director of the Food Producer Technical Assistant Network at Virginia Tech, explains that spoilage occurs when the bacteria in the milk grow and consume the natural sugar (lactose) and protein in milk, which can happen because of the environment or through human contact. “As a waste by-product, these bacteria produce lactic acid. This increases the acidity of the milk, reducing the pH and causing the milk to physically curdle,” she tells Parade.
Dr. Matthew Stasiewicz, PhD, an associate professor of applied food safety at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign says that milk spoilage happens faster if milk is left out of the fridge, but all milk spoils eventually.
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All three experts say that there are some tell-tale signs that milk has gone bad. If it has an off-odor, sour taste, a thick or slimy texture or appears clumpy, these are all signs that milk is spoiled.
What Happens if You Drink Spoiled Milk?
Dr. Coffman, Dr. Stasiewicz and Wright all emphasize that there is a difference between drinking spoiled milk and actually experiencing a foodborne illness. Dr. Stasiecicz says that while drinking spoiled milk can be unpleasant, it’s not dangerous or a health risk. "The bacteria that spoil milk are usually not the same bacteria that will make you sick," he explains.
That said, it can still lead to some pretty unpleasant symptoms. “Consuming very high levels of spoilage bacteria can sometimes cause mild gastrointestinal upset, such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, especially in sensitive individuals like young children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems," Dr. Coffman reveals.
Dr. Coffman adds that spoilage bacteria can sometimes coexist with dangerous bacteria that can lead to foodborne illness and can make you really sick. “If a food is spoiled, the conditions that allowed spoilage bacteria to grow—such as warm temperatures or extended storage—may also allow pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria, which can cause serious foodborne illness, to grow,” she says.
Wright explains that pasteurized milk has had all of the pathogenic bacteria killed before it was bottled. “Unless something is introduced into the container through contact, such as drinking from the jug, spoilage will only be a quality issue,” she says.
But this is not the case for raw milk, which can cause foodborne illness. “[The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness] strongly discourages anyone from drinking raw milk, but especially young children, older adults and anyone who is immunocompromised. Raw milk has not been subjected to pasteurization, which kills dangerous bacteria, and so it’s much more likely to contain pathogens that can make someone seriously sick,” Dr. Coffman emphasizes.
Symptoms of a foodborne illness from raw milk include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headache and body aches.
If you are experiencing symptoms from drinking spoiled milk (whether it’s from pasteurized milk or raw milk), Wright says to see a doctor if you are unable to keep any fluids down. If you are feeling dizzy, lightheaded, have a fever above 103℉, have blurry or double vision, muscle weakness, tingling in your arms or legs, bloody stool or vomit, severe cramping, changes in mental state or your symptoms are lasting longer than three days, it’s important to see a doctor.
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Maybe you don’t drink cow’s milk, opting for a plant-based milk, such as almond milk or oat milk, instead. Does this mean you don’t have to worry about accidentally drinking spoiled milk? Dr. Coffman says that plant-based milks typically don’t spoil as quickly as cow’s milk because they are often ultra-pasteurized, but unfortunately, you’re not off the hook.
“Non-dairy milk can also spoil. Many [of them] have sugar added to mimic the natural sweetness of the lactose in cow’s milk, so bacteria can consume that and produce lactic acid just the same,” Wright says.
To avoid drinking spoiled plant-based milk, Dr. Coffman says to store it in a refrigerator that’s 40℉ or colder. Just like with cow’s milk, all three experts say to evaluate the smell and texture of the plant-based milk for spoilage. If it smells sour or the texture has changed, you’re better off not drinking it.
While the sell-by date on your milk can be a helpful guide, nothing beats your eyes and nose when it comes to detecting spoilage. Milk that’s safe to drink should look and smell just like it did when you first bought it. If it doesn’t, it’s time to dump it.
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Sources:
Food Inflation in the United States (1968-2026). U.S. Inflation CalculatorBefore You Toss Food, Wait. Check It Out! U.S. Department of AgricultureDr. Vanessa Coffman, PhD, director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne IllnessMelissa Wright, director of the Food Producer Technical Assistant Network at Virginia TechDr. Matthew Stasiewicz, PhD, associate professor of applied food safety at the University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignThe Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Can Pose a Serious Health Risk. U.S. Food & Drug AdministrationFood poisoning (foodborne illness). Mayo ClinicHence then, the article about so what really happens if you drink spoiled milk was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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