Important conditions, or how long goat milk can be stored in the refrigerator

Fresh goat's milk is well absorbed by the child's body, helps improve health after illness, and is rich in calcium.

However, the popularity of this product is low due to the widespread belief that goat milk has an unpleasant odor and taste.

In fact, a healthy dairy goat produces milk with a pleasant creamy taste and no foreign odors.

It deteriorates due to improper preparation after milking and violation of storage conditions.

How long can goat milk be stored in the refrigerator and how to preserve this valuable dairy product is written in this article.

What determines the shelf life?

A product from a healthy animal, properly prepared after milking, has bactericidal properties. It does not sour in the refrigerator for up to 9 days. The following factors influence the shelf life:

1. Animal health. A goat that has digestive problems, has an inflamed udder, and is infected with worms produces low-quality milk. It may contain blood clots, curdled flakes, and sediment may settle at the bottom. Even good-looking milk from an unhealthy animal, after standing in the refrigerator for a couple of days, acquires an unpleasant taste and smell.
2. Milking hygiene. Milk has the ability to instantly absorb odors from the environment, so dairy animals are kept in clean rooms.

   Before milking, the goat's udder is washed, milk trays are scalded with boiling water, and straining cloths are regularly boiled.

3. Correct treatment after milking. Milk that has been milked and strained must be quickly cooled to +4 degrees. This technique allows you to dramatically reduce the number of microorganisms in the liquid and extend the shelf life. Usually the container is dipped in a bowl of ice water or covered with ice.
4. Storage temperature. Goat milk is usually stored at a temperature of +5 +6 degrees, which corresponds to the standard indicator of a household refrigerator. Sudden temperature changes, repeated freezing and defrosting of the product are unacceptable.

Feeding a dairy goat directly affects the shelf life of the product. Some types of herbs and vegetables (wormwood, St. John's wort, cabbage, raw potatoes), when fed in excess, cause a change in the taste of milk and shorten its shelf life.

Raw

Raw milk from a healthy goat Guaranteed not to sour in the refrigerator for 5 days. The main requirement for its storage is tightly sealed, sterilized containers and the absence of strong-smelling products in the refrigerator.

Boiled

To preserve vitamins and biologically active substances, goat milk is recommended to be consumed raw. But to eliminate microbes that may be present in it, it is pasteurized. This can also be done at home. For pasteurization you will need a wide stainless steel pan, a bowl of cold water, a slotted spoon and a thermometer for liquids.

Milk is poured into a saucepan and placed over high heat. Constantly stirring the liquid with a slotted spoon, bring the temperature to 74-79 degrees, turn off the heat and leave the milk on the stove for 1 minute, covering the pan with a lid. Afterwards, place the pan in a bowl of cold water and stir vigorously, cooling the liquid to 35-40 degrees.

In what container should it be stored?

Milk can be stored in any container, except metal, as long as the container is clean.

But the product retains its quality better:

• glass jars,
• enamel cans with tight lids,
• in clay jars.

The most common containers are glass jars with plastic or glass lids. The jars are easy to wash and scald with boiling water. It is convenient to store in plastic bottles, but due to the difficulty of washing them, only new bottles can be used.

Any container for storing milk should be thoroughly washed with non-fragrant detergents, scalded with boiling water (except for plastic bottles) and dried. Droplets of water remaining on the walls of the jar can contribute to the development of harmful bacteria and rapid spoilage of milk.

Can it be frozen?

Goat milk Can be frozen and stored in the freezer for up to 6 months, at a stable temperature of -18 degrees. Fresh milk, cooled to +5 degrees, can be frozen. It is poured into plastic bottles, filling them two-thirds full. Bottles filled to the neck may burst when frozen due to expansion of the liquid.

Defrost the liquid naturally, at room temperature, or by immersing the bottles in water at a temperature of +20 degrees. To save space, you can freeze in new thick plastic bags with zip fasteners. They are also not completely filled with liquid.

This video will tell you about freezing goat milk:

If the product is intended for a child, is the shelf life reduced?

According to research, the maximum content of vitamins and biologically active substances is found in goat milk on the first day after milking.Later, even if all storage conditions are met, the value of milk decreases every day.

But even milk stored for a week, provided all conditions are met, cannot harm the child’s body. For therapeutic nutrition of young children, it is recommended to use steam milk, within 1-3 hours after milking.

Useful tips

Milk can only be stored for a long time from a healthy animal, subject to sanitary standards for keeping and milking animals.

This is monitored by veterinarians., which issue permission for implementation. It is safe to buy the product in the dairy departments of specialized markets, farm stores, and large supermarkets.

After purchasing raw milk, it must be poured into a new sterile container. For children, it is advisable to pasteurize the product. Do not leave the product in an open container at room temperature for a long time.

Conclusion

The main conditions for long-term preservation of goat milk are crystal clean dishes and constant storage temperature. The pasteurized product is safe for health and can be stored longer, while the raw product has medicinal properties.