A question of time or what is the shelf life of cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese is a tasty and healthy food. Both children and adults love him. The uniqueness of the product is its balanced composition.
However, this food is perishable and failure to comply with expiration dates and storage conditions for cottage cheese can result in health problems. Read more about the shelf life and storage of cottage cheese later in the article.
Content
What does GOST say?
A set of standards for the production, storage and transportation of cottage cheese is regulated by GOST 31453-2013 Cottage cheese. Technical conditions.
The document gives the manufacturer the right to independently set the expiration date for the product taking into account the requirements of regulatory legal acts in the field of food safety.
Hygienic requirements for shelf life and storage conditions of food products are controlled by SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03.
GOST 31453-2013 requires maintaining the storage temperature of cottage cheese in the range from 2 to 4 degrees. Details - in this article.
How long is it stored?
The shelf life of a product depends on many parameters. Among them:
- quality of raw materials;
- processing method;
- temperature;
- fat content;
- humidity;
- package.
In a closed package
Before opening, sealed factory vacuum packaging has a maximum shelf life of up to 30 days, subject to storage conditions. Some manufacturers, using modern technologies, increase the freshness period of goods to 40 days.
Plastic containers, foil and parchment preserve products for up to 14 days.
After opening, open
How long does cottage cheese last after opening the package? When the package with cottage cheese is opened, There are two options for the development of events:
- The product cannot be stored; it must be consumed immediately.
- Keep at a temperature of 2 to 6 degrees for 2 days.
It all depends on the type of product, the original raw materials, and processing technologies.
At room temperature
As a perishable product, cottage cheese cannot be stored at room temperature. If necessary, it can remain indoors for only a few hours. The higher the temperature, the sooner the product will spoil. Details - here.
In a refrigerator
The ideal storage option for cottage cheese is the refrigerator. There the product retains all its beneficial properties throughout the entire shelf life, which the manufacturer indicated on the packaging. Non-commercial types can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Read more Here.
In the freezer
Cottage cheese can be deep frozen for up to 4-6 months. Industrial types are best frozen in their original packaging. Homemade cottage cheese is placed into bags in small portions. All types of cottage cheese, except for children's ones, can be frozen. Details - Here And here.
In the shop
From the moment the technological process is completed, the cottage cheese must be in a chilled state. Therefore, fermented milk products are delivered in special refrigerators.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to examine store-bought products for the presence of toxic substances, hormones or preservatives at home. The procedure is carried out only in the laboratory. Trust in the manufacturer plays an important role here..
Storage period
How long the product will remain fresh depends entirely on storage conditions. The type of cottage cheese and method of production also play an important role.
Natural
Natural cottage cheese should contain only milk and sourdough. Moreover milk May be:
- whole;
- normalized;
- low fat;
- restored;
- mixtures of them.
The natural product has the shortest shelf life. Maximum 5 days at temperatures from 0 to 6 degrees. Minimum 3-6 hours.
No preservatives
Preservatives help prolong the freshness of the product, but are harmful to health. Without them, cottage cheese has a minimum shelf life of up to 5 days. Experts believe that with modern technologies, it is possible to preserve the freshness of a product without preservatives for a maximum of 30 days.
If the shelf life on the product packaging exceeds this indicator, then you should think about how this is achieved.
Goat
Goat's curd is not as common as cow's curd. It is hypoallergenic and more nutritious. Industrial types can only be found in large supermarkets. However, its price is quite high.
Store
Industrial types of cottage cheese are produced taking into account the relevant documents.Enterprises that value their reputation strictly comply with the requirements of regulatory legal acts.
GOST 31453-2013 allows you to set the shelf life of products independently based on the technologies used and modern packaging. The minimum shelf life of a store-bought product is 5 days, the maximum is 30 days..
With sour cream and sugar
When cottage cheese expires, you can revive it with sour cream and sugar (a natural preservative). However, this delicacy must be eaten immediately; it dries out quickly. You can also make this dessert with fresh cottage cheese. Storage is not recommended.
Curd products
Curd products include curd masses, cheeses, cakes, creams. SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03 regulates the following terms:
- curd products 72 hours;
- curd products, heat-treated for 5 days.
The short time is explained by the fact that fruit and berry fillers are added to the cottage cheese, which significantly reduces the freshness time.
If a manufacturer legally wishes to extend the shelf life of products, he must contact the SES authorities with test results confirming the safety of the products during the declared shelf life.
Weight
It is difficult to control the quality and storage conditions of cottage cheese sold by farms and markets. When purchasing such a product you need to know the manufacturer well or be able to choose correctly. As a rule, the shelf life of products will be short, no more than 2 days. Details - here.
Grained
The grained type has a longer shelf life due to the small amount of fat and the addition of salt.
5 and 9 percent fat
5 and 9 percent classic fat cottage cheese can be stored for several days. Manufacturers indicate different periods on the packages: 5, 10, 14 days. The maximum period can be up to 30 days. The main condition is storage at a temperature of 2 to 6 degrees.
Low fat
Depending on the technological process, raw materials, packaging the low-fat variety can be stored from 72 hours to 5, 7, 10, 14, 15, 30 days. Before and after opening the container, the product must be refrigerated.
Home
On the one hand, homemade cottage cheese has maximum health benefits, but, on the other hand, it has the shortest shelf life. The product can remain in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. Details - in this article.
Dishes
SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03 established the shelf life of cottage cheese dishes at 24 hours. Casseroles and puddings 48 hours.
Ready-made cottage cheese dishes are best consumed within a few hours. Only fresh hot food can be healthy and tasty.
Cheesecakes, dumplings, pancakes can be prepared for future use - frozen. In this form, the product will last up to 2-4 months.
Casseroles, puddings, and pies are usually not frozen. They are best consumed within 2 days. It is better to store in the refrigerator.
How to keep it fresh for a long time?
You can extend the freshness of the product in the following ways:
- freeze (all types, except for children);
- add natural preservatives (salt, sugar, citric acid);
- dry in the oven in the form of balls;
- prepare meals.
These methods are effective until the first signs of spoilage appear.
Prostokvashino will tell you about the shelf life of cottage cheese this article, Agusha - this.
Can I use expired?
Signs of product deterioration are:
- musty smell;
- sour, bitter taste;
- change in consistency (looseness, liquid, dryness, stickiness);
- grey, yellow;
- mold.
It is strictly forbidden to eat such a product or prepare dishes from it.
It is possible to use a baking product that has expired only if the signs of damage are not clearly expressed. That is, the cottage cheese is slightly expired (no more than 3 days), but this did not affect the taste, smell or appearance.
Conclusion
Cottage cheese is good for the body of adults and children. It can be eaten alone and added to many different dishes. The main thing is to monitor the expiration dates and storage conditions of the valuable product.
