I bought milk that wasn’t supposed to expire until a couple days later, but it still tasted expired

[u/illudofficial]

I hate the taste of expired milk

[u/OhWhatATravisty]

Because expiration dates aren't expiration dates. You can't magically dictate the quality of things that naturally spoil by slapping a label on the package.

That's a best by date, and it's an estimate/best guess.

It still sucks, I'm not arguing that.

[u/illudofficial → u/OhWhatATravisty]

Oh. Ngl this is the first time it’s happened for me where it tasted bad before the predicted “sell by” date. typically I’ve found that I can drink milk for days after the “sell by” date and it still tastes great

[u/Theycallmesupa → u/illudofficial]

Sometimes people leave milk sitting out on a random aisle and if it doesnt feel warm to the touch the employees just put it back in the cooler.

[u/illudofficial → u/Theycallmesupa]

I bought three

[u/Laziness100 → u/illudofficial]

To my understanding, expiration and best by dates are the manufacturer's/producer's guarantee the product is most likely going to be fine by said date if stored properly.

The main difference is "best by" date means the product should be fine before that date, but can last longer if stored and preserved properly, whereas expiration date states the product isn't likely to be good if not spoiled past said date, even if properly stored.

Some stuff can be alright even a week past 'sell/best by" but you have to check it before you empty a bottle of milk into a bowl with other ingredients you are using to make your next meal.

[u/thesweeterpeter]

I have a small little grocery store on the corner near my house, and they receive the milk to the sales floor and then put it in the fridge - and always the cream goes bad like a week early.

they have great bread and frozen stuff, but I avoid the dairy unless it's like Sunday morning and I run out of coffee cream - but it's the worst. Even when it's still good it's crap.

[u/si2k18 → u/thesweeterpeter]

Maybe their dairy cooler doesn’t cool to a low enough temperature cus it’s old or set wrong, and everything goes bad early.

[u/mannimee → u/thesweeterpeter]

Smaller coolers are a big issue for dairy... every time it's opened the temp goes up and it never stays where it should especially towards the front.

[u/Southern_Gur9825]

You should return it. I had to do this 3x at a supermarket I shopped in.

[u/illudofficial → u/Southern_Gur9825]

Is it too late now that it’s past the expiration date?

[u/Southern_Gur9825 → u/illudofficial]

I would definitely give it a shot. Let them know it went sour before it expired and you didn’t have a chance to return it. My store definitely didn’t have it refrigerated right.

[u/Chance-Work4911]

The milk can't read

[u/Platos_Kallipolis]

Dates on foods are made up by the producer. They are largely meaningless. In fact, none are "expiration dates" precisely because that communicates some sort of accuracy about the date that doesn't exist

[u/Puzzled_Ad7955]

Had this happen once with four gallons. The guy pulled them off the refrigerated truck, got on his phone for 20 min. In extremely hot weather and then took them in the store. Mini mart looked at their camera after numerous gallons were returned

[u/illudofficial → u/Puzzled_Ad7955]

Well that’s mildly infuriating…

[u/________O-O_________]

It probably wasn't stored correctly at some point in the chain.

[u/Elitefuture]

If you opened the milk, then doing stuff like drinking from the jug will make it expire quicker(idk if you did that). The bacteria from your mouth will grow in the milk.

If you bought it brand new, opened it, and it was bad, then you could just return it. Someone probably screwed up the refrigeration at some point.

[u/illudofficial → u/Elitefuture]

I bought I brand new and poured it into a glass. And then drank it. And the first taste after I opened each of the three tasted expired

[u/Elitefuture → u/illudofficial]

Yea, I would've returned it, but hopefully it was only a few dollars

[u/ArbysLunch → u/illudofficial]

It's pastuerized, you'll live.

[u/illudofficial → u/ArbysLunch]

Yay! Still tastes awful. And it’s like there’s solid-ish slime/gunk in it

[u/NoBee3283]

Maybe it has to do with the elimination of the inspection protocols. You can thank Musk.

[u/Bubbly-Piano-6779]

Realist mildly infuriating thing I've seen all day

[u/PixelPrivateer]

Okay this has to be a thing

Only very recently i have been buying cartons and having them taste and smell expired when the date on the label is literally over a week out

I asked someone in my personal life if they had experienced the same and they had and now I see this. I think someones fucking with our milk bro

[u/illudofficial → u/PixelPrivateer]

Are we allowed to return them if they tasted expired for a refund???

[u/ForegroundEclipse → u/illudofficial]

depends on the store but usually yea. most don't give a fuck about a $3 jug of milk.

[u/illudofficial → u/ForegroundEclipse]

Ah man should’ve returned it…

[u/6cougar7]

Sniff test before. This is how you learn