It may be hard to believe, but buttermilk can actually go bad. If left unopened for a long time, buttermilk can become clumpy or even spoiled. This means that it is not safe to consume. To make sure that you are buying the right product, check out these tips for judging the quality of buttermilk.
The best way to tell whether your buttermilk is good or bad is to check the expiration date. Buttermilk with an expiration date of more than a week should be discarded. However, it is possible to keep buttermilk fresh for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
You can also store buttermilk in the freezer for up to two months. While this is not a perfect solution, it can help if you don’t want to use it immediately. In addition, it is the perfect ingredient to add to iced beverages, baking recipes, or to tenderize meat.
Ideally, you should store buttermilk in an airtight container. Make sure to shake the bottle before you pour. Otherwise, lumps of butter will form. When mixed with other ingredients, the lumps will eventually disintegrate.
Aside from the obvious, you should also try to avoid drinking buttermilk straight out of its container. This is because the quality of the milk will be affected by the amount of bacteria present in the container. Likewise, you should avoid touching the container with your fingers.
Another way to test the quality of buttermilk is to see if it is sour. Sour buttermilk is not uncommon, but it should be avoided if possible. Normally, buttermilk is supposed to be a creamy, thick, and buttery product. That said, if you find that it is not, you may have found a contaminated product.
In terms of color, buttermilk should be light yellow. If it is brown or green, it is probably a sign that it is spoiled. There are a number of reasons why this happens, so you should consult with your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Buttermilk may be a good substitute for sour cream or water. This type of dairy beverage is made from fermented milk. However, it does not taste like sour cream, so it is not an ideal alternative.
You may have also noticed that your buttermilk has a sour smell. This is because it contains lactic acid, which is one of the main components of the taste. It is possible that your buttermilk has gone bad because of improper handling, so always be careful when handling this product.
Unlike other dairy products, buttermilk is not supposed to be sour, so the fact that it contains lactic acid is not a good indicator of its safety. Instead, you should look for the buttery tangy smell.
Finally, you should also check the quality of your buttermilk by testing its texture. Usually, buttermilk will be clear, but sometimes it will have small lumps. These lumps will eventually disintegrate when you whisk them. But if the lumps do not, the milk is still in a good state.
