What are the symptoms of expired oat milk?

Oat milk has become an increasingly popular plant-based milk alternative in recent years. Made from soaked and blended oats, oat milk has a creamy, mild flavor that makes it perfect for drinking, baking, and adding to coffee and cereal. However, like any perishable food, oat milk does expire and can go bad after a period of time. Knowing the signs of expired oat milk can help you avoid consuming spoiled milk that may cause unpleasant symptoms.

How to Tell When Oat Milk is Expired

The most obvious sign that your oat milk has gone bad is the expiration date printed on the carton. Oat milk generally stays fresh for 5-10 days after opening, and can last unopened for up to a month past the printed “best by” date. However, oat milk may show signs of spoilage prior to the expiration date if it has been stored incorrectly.

Here are some ways to tell if your opened or unopened oat milk is expired:

• Sour smell – Fresh oat milk should have a faintly sweet, nutty smell. If it smells sour or unpleasant, it has likely spoiled.
• Change in consistency – Unexpired oat milk has a smooth, creamy texture. Expired milk may look curdled or lumpy.
• Mold – Check the oat milk for fuzzy mold spots, which indicate it has spoiled.
• Gas buildup – Expired milk may have a puffy appearance from carbon dioxide produced by spoilage microbes.
• Separation – Properly mixed oat milk has an emulsified appearance. Separation of the solids and liquids is a sign of spoilage.

Changes in Taste

In addition to changes in sight, smell, and texture, taste can also indicate that oat milk has gone bad. Fresh oat milk should have a pleasant, mild, slightly sweet taste. Spoiled oat milk will have an unpleasant sour, bitter, or even rancid taste.

Oat milk gets its creamy texture from the natural oils in oats. As the milk spoils, the fats can oxidize and go rancid, creating a distinctly unpleasant bitter flavor. Any bitterness, sourness, or general “off” tastes when you sip the milk means it should be discarded.

What Causes Oat Milk to Spoil?

Oat milk, like other plant-based milks, spoils primarily due to the growth of bacteria and fungi. Sources of spoilage microbes include:

• Bacteria introduced during production or packaging
• Bacteria or mold from containers, utensils, or hands
• Yeasts and spore-forming bacteria that survive pasteurization

Once introduced, these microbes grow rapidly in the moist, nutritious environment of plant-based milk. Refrigeration helps slow their growth, but does not completely prevent spoilage over time. Opening the container also introduces new microbes that can accelerate spoilage.

The natural oils and sugars in oat milk also undergo chemical reactions during storage, causing it to deteriorate in flavor and texture. Exposure to oxygen and light accelerates these reactions. Improperly stored milk at higher temperatures will spoil faster.

Can You Get Sick from Spoiled Oat Milk?

Consuming spoiled oat milk is not likely to cause serious illness in most healthy people. However, it can lead to some unpleasant digestive symptoms like:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Gas
• Bloating

These symptoms occur as your body reacts to the bacteria, fungi, and chemical changes occurring in the spoiled milk. Your symptoms should resolve on their own within 24-48 hours.

Although serious illness is unlikely, some people may be at higher risk for complications. Children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems should discard expired oat milk to avoid potential risks.

Risk Factors for Foodborne Illness

While oat milk itself does not frequently cause severe illness when spoiled, contamination can potentially introduce more dangerous bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria. This is more likely to occur if:

• The milk was improperly pasteurized or produced in unsanitary conditions
• The container or storage conditions introduced new bacteria
• The milk was left at room temperature for an extended period

Consuming oat milk contaminated with one of these bacteria could cause more severe food poisoning. Seek medical care if you experience:

• Fever over 101°F (38°C)
• Bloody diarrhea
• Vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down
• Signs of dehydration like dizziness or excessive thirst

Those at higher risk for severe complications should be especially cautious and discard milk at the first signs of spoilage.

How to Store Oat Milk to Avoid Spoilage

To get the longest shelf life out of your oat milk and avoid spoilage:

• Check sell-by dates – Don’t purchase cartons beyond their sell-by date.
• Refrigerate after opening – Keep oat milk chilled at 40°F or below.
• Keep lids tight – Securely close containers to limit air exposure.
• Use clean utensils – To prevent contamination, don’t introduce dirty spoons or glasses.
• Watch for separation – Shake or stir milk that separates before consuming.
• Check for damage – Inspect packaging to ensure there are no tears or openings.

With proper storage in the refrigerator, unopened oat milk should stay fresh for 5-10 days past the printed expiration date. An opened carton will stay usable for up to a week.

Can Expired Oat Milk Be Saved?

Once oat milk goes bad, it cannot be safely saved or restored. The bacteria and chemical changes that occur are not reversible through cooking or reheating. Any milk that is past the expiration date or shows signs of spoilage should be discarded.

While smell, taste, and texture are your best indicators, you can verify with a quick separation test. Pour a small amount of the older milk into a glass and examine it closely. If the liquid appears to separate from the solids, contains lumps, or is watery, it is no longer usable and should be thrown out.

What to Do With Accidentally Spoiled Oat Milk

If you accidentally leave a carton of oat milk out on the counter overnight or forget about an open jug in the back of the fridge, don’t panic. Here’s what to do:

1. Smell and visually inspect the milk first. If it smells sour or shows separation, discard it right away. Don’t taste test milk that appears spoiled.
2. Throw the carton away so it’s not accidentally consumed. Do not try to return it to the store.
3. If the milk was compromised, discard any other opened containers that may have been exposed to contamination.
4. Clean the storage area where the milk was kept with hot, soapy water.
5. Monitor your health for any gastrointestinal symptoms.

Throwing out a whole carton or jug of milk can feel wasteful, but it’s important not to risk your health by consuming spoiled dairy. Oat milk is fairly inexpensive and easy to replace.

Differentiating Between Spoiled and Soured Milk

At times, unopened oat milk may undergo natural fermentation due to the sugars, naturally occurring yeasts, and microbial spores present in the product and packaging. This can create carbonation, a tart taste, and slightly thicker texture reminiscent of kefir or yogurt. The milk becomes tangy but is not always considered “spoiled”.

Here’s how to tell if your oat milk is safe but soured, or perhaps dangerous to consume:

Soured Milk	Spoiled Milk
– Tangy, fermented taste	– Rancid, unpleasant taste
– Normal or slightly fizzy texture	– Curdled, separated, or slimy texture
– White or slightly yellow coloring	– Translucent, yellow, or gray coloring
– Clean, healthy scent	– Putrid, rotten smell
– Safe to consume for most	– Unsafe, may cause illness

As a general rule of thumb, if the milk smells unpleasant or shows visual signs of spoilage like mold, err on the side of caution and discard it. When in doubt, your nose is the best test.

How to Use Up Milk on Its Sell-By Date

If you have a carton of oat milk that’s nearing or just past its sell-by date, you don’t necessarily have to waste the leftovers. Here are some safe ways to use up oat milk close to expiring:

• Add it to smoothies or protein shakes
• Use it up in overnight oats or chia pudding
• Stir it into soups, sauces, oatmeal
• Combine it with coffee or tea
• Blend it into pancake or waffle batter
• Bake it into muffins, quick breads, or desserts

The heating involved in cooking, baking, or mixing into hot foods helps destroy potentially harmful bacteria in milk that’s nearing its sell-by date. But be sure to inspect the milk closely before using and discard if you see any curdling or separation.

Does Expired Oat Milk Change Nutrition?

The nutrients in oat milk – vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats – begin deteriorating as soon as the product is made. Over time, the amounts of certain heat-sensitive vitamins like C, B vitamins, and A will degrade and decrease.

Once milk has actually spoiled, the nutritional value drops even more rapidly. Bacteria and fungi consume nutrients like sugars, proteins, and fats. Beneficial compounds also oxidize and degrade faster when exposed to heat, light, and air.

While fresher is always better when it comes to nutritional content, the changes are likely insignificant if milk is consumed shortly past the sell-by date. Just don’t expect spoiled oat milk to offer maximum health benefits.

Food Waste and Expired Oat Milk

To avoid having to throw out expired or spoiled milk, practice better meal planning and purchasing habits. Here are some tips to reduce food waste:

• Only buy what you know you will use in time
• Track expiration dates and plan to use milk accordingly
• Store milk properly to optimize shelf life
• Freeze extra milk if you won’t use it quickly
• Donate unopened milk close to expiration to a food bank
• Compost milk that does spoil if you have a compost pile

Being attentive when shopping, intentional with storage, and creative with using up ingredients can decrease how often you discard spoiled milk. Planning a weekly menu and buying only what’s needed for those meals is one of the best ways to reduce expired foods.

Conclusion

Checking for changes in appearance, texture, and smell are the most reliable ways to identify if your oat milk has spoiled before the expiration date. While drinking spoiled milk is unlikely to cause serious illness in healthy people, it can lead to unpleasant stomach upset or discomfort. Discard milk at the first signs of spoilage to avoid unnecessary tummy trouble. With proper refrigeration and handling, oat milk can stay fresh up to two weeks past the printed sell-by or use-by date.