Many Kenyans buy milk in plenty for cost-effective purposes and store it in the refrigerator for future use.
While a fridge is ideal for storing dairy products, sometimes the milk could go bad, leading to unprecedented losses.
Kenyans.co.ke compiled three common mistakes Kenyans make when storing milk in the fridge making it go bad.
Storing at the wrong spot
Most of the time milk goes bad due to temperature swings within the refrigerator commonly caused by frequent opening.
Danielle Slauter, a health writer, explains that you should never store milk near the fridge door since it is the warmest spot.
“Warmer temperatures and frequent fluctuations can put food at risk of spoiling, especially milk and cream,” she explains.
Milk should be stored at the back of a shelf in the lower portion of the fridge.
This is because that is where the lowest temperatures are in your fridge, which makes it an ideal spot for milk.
Returning milk to the fridge promptly
Many Kenyans leave the milk for hours on the counter or kitchen table when they take it out to make breakfast.
This makes the milk get warm and provides the optimum temperature for bacterial growth making the milk go bad.
“Pour the milk you need for use and immediately put the milk back in its spot,” Slauter advises.
Buying milk too early
Slauter revealed that most of the time, the milk starts going bad at the supermarket.
She explained that when people go shopping, they pick the milk at the onset and go ahead to buy other products.
This makes the milk start warming up and by the time it gets to the refrigerator, it has already started going bad.
“Complete all your grocery shopping, then swing by the milk section to pick up your milk just before you head to the checkout.
“This way, the milk has less time exposed to warmer air and will be less likely to start growing harmful bacteria,” Slauter explains.
