# How long does whipping cream last?



## toronado455 (Jun 19, 2009)

How long does an 8oz carton of whipping cream last in the fridge?

I've noticed that the exp dates on dairy products are longer the higher the fat content. In other words, nonfat milk has the shortest, 1% milk a little longer, 2% longer, and so on, and heavy cream the longest with an exp date of several weeks in the future from when you buy it.

But according to the fightbac.org website, (I'd post the full URL, but I'm a noob so the forum rules won't let me) cream only lasts for 3-4 days. Does it make a difference whether the carton has been opened or not? I'm just trying to understand why they say only 3-4 days.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

>>How long does an 8oz carton of whipping cream last in the fridge?

see the expiration date. once opened, a whole lot less.

the fightbac site needs to find a food scientist - heck just someone who comprehends written English would help.

from their section: 
*Cold Storage Chart -- be aware of how long foods have been in your refrigerator. When in doubt, throw it out!*

/quote
Cream--Whipped, ultrapasteurized - 1 month
/unqote

obviously not only do you comprehend written English, you've done things with cream because you mentally/automatically reformatted:
"Cream--Whipped, ultrapasteurized"
to 
"a container of ultra pasteurized whipping cream"

there's a big difference in the two items.

think we should tell them?


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## elchivito (Jan 25, 2009)

I've noticed that ultra pasteurized cream begins to separate and get lumpy after a few days and becomes hard or impossible to whip, but it takes forever to actually go off. Ultra pasteurization is the worst idea since wrapping meat in plastic AFAIC.


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## toronado455 (Jun 19, 2009)

Yeah, that makes no sense at all. They say:
"Cream, Half and Half
3 to 4 days"

But they also say:
"Cream--Whipped, ultrapasteurized
1 month"

Do they actually mean to say that once the container has been opened and it's been whipped, it lasts longer than if it's just a carton of whipping cream sitting in your fridge?


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

if you open a container of pasteurized or ultra pasteurized cream, the length of time until it starts to grow things - some of which are not remotely visible to the human eye - depends _entirely_ on the sterility of the environment.

the shelf life of pasteurized or ultra pasteurized cream applies only to a sealed, unopened container.

be aware, in USA the Federal vs. state vs local laws/regulations for shelf life may vary.

also, statements like "one month in the refrigerator" are utterly meaningless - start checking dates on dairy produces in your market. "old" stock may have dates days or weeks less than "new" stock.

also, depending on product/local laws/regulations, the printed date may be "sell by" or "use by" - it behooveth the shopped to know which that may be.

>>Do they actually mean . . .
that's the problem. they don't know and they don't have a copy editor.
 
once opened, pasteurized or ultra pasteurized cream - actually any pre-packaged product -has equal opportunity to become "contaminated" from the environment - a 1000% uncontrolled variable. if your locale labels "sell by" - there is some implicit assumption of safe storage to a "use by" event. if your refrigerator is maintaining 46'F, or you have small children running off and leaving the door open half the day, the implicit elapsed time from "sell" to "use" may not be safely valid.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

As Dilbert states, there are so many variables. Here is one on a container of qt. of milk in Palm Beach County. The milk was dated Feb. 6(ex date). Yet the packaging date ,which codes like this pm14108 Which means the 14th day of January 2008 2nd. or eve shift. A lot of products are dated in codes. Some have January as 12th month and December as the 1st.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

unless of course it means the 141st day of 08. manufacturing 'codes' are called 'codes' because they are a code and if you don't know how to interpret the code, oh well....

you've still got milk from Feb?


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## toronado455 (Jun 19, 2009)

Some of them use Julian dates and other weird codes. It's explained at consumerist.com /5120395/


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Milkman was the one that told me how to read their codes.(this code naturally applies to this dairy only they all have own codes)


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## toronado455 (Jun 19, 2009)

I always check the "sell by" dates on dairy products meticulously before purchasing, and always pick a carton that has a date that is the furthest in the future.

My refrigerator is usually 36'F. It will go higher (up to 41 or 42) during its defrost cycle, but drops back down fairly quickly. I have a digital thermometer with remote sensors for the 'fridge and freezer, and separate display unit that attaches to the outside of the fridge so I don't have to open the fridge to check the temps. I don't have kids opening the doors either.

So how quickly would you say I need to use up an 8oz carton of ultra-pasteurized whipping cream after it's been opened?


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

>>how quickly would you say I need to use up an 8oz carton of ultra-pasteurized whipping cream after it's been opened?

truthfully, dunno - that's my usual 'buy' size but it's open, pour, all gone for me.

with good storage I would suspect you should get dang gum close to the use by date - if it sours, not like your nose is gonna miss that . . . 

if there is not a use by date, I'll get sniffingly suspicious at a week or so after opening.
which btw applies to std or ultra pasteurized - ultra has a longer unopened shelf life, but once opened, it's cream - just like "the other white cream"


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## toronado455 (Jun 19, 2009)

BTW, what are you using if for? Are you whipping it? I just pour a little on top of my oatmeal which I make with water. Occasionally I make mashed potatoes and pour a little in with that. But that's about it. Rarely, I'll pour some over fresh sliced fruit in a bowl and eat it like that.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

>>uses

heavy whipping I use for whipping <g> can't think of any other recent use...

I use light cream in all kinds of sauces / dishes for a nice rich finish - frequently it's part cream and the remaining (required) liquid milk as "all cream" can be a bit too much for our tastes. mac&cheese, seafood, creamed chicken....

and we're not on a steady diet of it - perhaps once or at most twice a month. cooking for two and fighting a savage "no left overs" battle can be uhmmm, challenging.

the exception for us is strawberry season - we tend to use 'a tad more' then....


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