Cream is an ingredient we use so often in the kitchen
In fact, we have just started buying heavy cream in advance
Then, the cream starts going all grainy and smelly
But, how can you tell when heavy cream has gone bad?
This includes the heavy cream getting a grainy texture, discoloring, growing mold, smelling rancid, and tasting sour
In this jam-packed article, we will look at exactly what heavy cream is and its exact shelf life
And, we will naturally have a more in-depth look at the signs of spoiled cream
Finally, we have included a quick guide on the best way to store your heavy cream and extend its shelf life!
We have all worked with cream
So, naturally, you know that it is another type of dairy product that is similar to milk
Extra light, thickened, double cream, heavy cream, whipping cream—these are only some of the many different types of cream that you will regularly find
Today, as you already know, we will be looking at heavy cream specifically
This is one of the most called-for creams in most recipes, especially baking ones
This cream is made from a fat layer that is skimmed from milk before it gets homogenized
Anything less and it becomes a different type of cream
Not all countries produce and sell heavy cream and it may even go by a different name
The close seconds to this cream (if you cannot find any) include products like whipping cream, thickened cream, and full cream
But again, none of these are heavy cream
But again, none of these are heavy cream
Unlike other cream products with a lower milk fat content, it whips a lot easier and quicker
Now, you may be wondering how heavy cream differs from regular cream
Regular cream usually contains between 15-20% milk fat
Heavy Cream Vs Whipping Cream
Heavy cream is often used to create whipped cream
As we have mentioned, heavy cream legally has to have a milk fat content of at least 36% to be labeled as such
Whipping cream on the other hand has a lower milk fat content of between 30-36%
Whipping cream is also referred to as light cream in some countries
While whipping cream does also create very stable whipped peaks, it isn’t nearly as good as when making it from heavy cream
Shelf Life Of Heavy Cream
Now, you may be wondering why we yapped on about different types of cream
The amount of fat in the cream drastically increases and decreases the shelf life and stability of the (fresh) cream
Simply put, the higher the fat content the longer the cream will last
Unopened heavy cream will typically last about 1-2 weeks inside a fridge
While the signs for rancid cream generally stay the same regardless of the type, when these signs start appearing will happen at different stages
And, it may help you in determining when heavy cream has gone off
Light Cream18 – 30%7-10 days2-3 months
Whipping Cream30 – 36%7-10 days2-3 months
Heavy Cream36 – 40%1-2 weeks3-4 months
Manufacturer’s Cream40% +2-3 weeks3-4 months
Now, the only exception to the rules is long-life heavy cream
This cream has been heat-treated to make it far more shelf-stable
But, that being said, it isn’t a cream that whips particularly well (even when labeled heavy cream)
How To Tell If Heavy Cream Is Bad
Luckily when it comes to dairy products, it is fairly easy to tell when they have gone bad
A grainy texture is sometimes the first sign that heavy cream is starting to go off
It is also usually accompanied by a sour smell and taste
It looks like there are thousands of sand granules mixed into the cream
However, this is in fact the first step in cream becoming fully curdled
If you are lucky enough, this texture is only just beginning and the cream can still be used immediately
The cream won’t have a sour odor or flavor to it
This is another key sign that any dairy product has gone off
A rancid, sour, or tart flavor is also an immediate sign that heavy cream has gone bad
This cream should be very fatty and have a rich, clean, and creamy flavor to it
Anything less and the cream is starting to go bad or has already reached the point of no return
If you suspect that the cream is bad but need solid evidence, do not take a big sip to test it!
But, if the expiry date has already been reached then there isn’t even a reason to taste it
Finally, if your cream starts showing mold or any type of discoloration, it means that it is spoiling
Can You Use Heavy Whipping Cream After The Expiration Date?
You should never use any dairy product that is open and has reached its expiration date
If you have a properly stored and unopened bottle of heavy cream, it will likely still be fine for 2-3 days after the printer expiry date
Once opened, pour the cream out into a clear glass bowl or cup
Then, smell it, check the color, and finally, taste a little drop if you absolutely must
If the closed container is swollen, it means that there is an overflow of bacteria that produces carbon dioxide
This causes the container to swell and is a dead giveaway that the heavy cream is bad
What About Long-Life Heavy Cream?
The expiry date for long life or UHT-treated heavy cream is usually printed as a “best before” date
Depending on how you stored the long-life heavy cream, you may still be able to use it up to a month after the date
You should still test the heavy cream before simply using it
How To Properly Store Heavy Whipping Cream
Storing heavy cream isn’t difficult at all!
As you probably know, all dairy products are highly perishable and should always be kept in an airtight bottle or container in the fridge
Anything higher than that and the creams’ shelf life won’t be as long
But, if it reaches below 338ºF (1ºC), the cream may start freezing, ruining its fresh quality
Furthermore, if you aren’t planning on using the cream immediately, don’t store it inside the fridge door or at the back of your fridge
And, at the back of the fridge, you run the risk of the heavy cream starting to freeze
If you want to freeze cream, you should also keep it inside a stable freezer
Don’t allow the cream to continuously freeze and thaw slightly
When you buy heavy cream, you should plan to use it within a couple of weeks of purchasing it
Some people wonder how to tell if heavy cream is bad
Usually, you can spot spoiled heavy cream by the kind of smell it gives off, the way it looks, and tastes
For example, heavy cream will have a sour smell when it’s bad and can turn clumpy or moldy
You should never use bad heavy cream for cooking because it will possibly ruin your dish or make you sick
Thankfully, most grocery stores will have both a sell-by date and an expiration date to help you know how long you can store it and eat it safely
Here’s some helpful information on how to tell if heavy cream is bad and what you can do to extend its shelf-life, so you can use a single container for as long as possible
How to Know When Heavy Cream Goes Bad?How Does Your Heavy Cream Smell?How Does Your Heavy Cream Look Like?The Taste TestCan You Use Expired Heavy Cream?Will Spoiled Heavy Cream Make You Sick?What Happens if You Cook with Spoiled Heavy Cream?How Long Will Heavy Cream Last in the Fridge?Is Heavy Cream Supposed to Smell Sour?How Do You Use Spoiled Heavy Whipping Cream?Is Heavy Cream the Same as Heavy Whipping Cream?ConclusionResources
How to Know When Heavy Cream Goes Bad?
When you buy heavy cream in the store, each package will likely have a sell-by date and an expiration date on it
If, for example, they sell something too close to the expiration date, their customers won’t have a reasonable time to use what they purchase
But on the other hand, the sell-by date gives a good cushion where people can buy produce, frozen goods, meats, and dairy products without worrying they’ll spoil before they use them
In most cases, heavy cream will usually remain suitable for consumption between one and three weeks between the sell-by date and the expiration date
But, of course, if you buy it earlier than the sell-by date, you’ll have a longer time to use it!
One of the challenges with heavy cream is that people often buy a container because they need it for a specific recipe
After that, however, the heavy cream sits in the fridge for days or weeks
Here are some things you should do to check whether your heavy cream is bad
How Does Your Heavy Cream Smell?
The smell is usually the easiest way to know if your heavy cream is still fresh
Heavy cream usually has a fresh aroma
Of course, if it’s sweetened, you’ll smell that, but plain heavy cream will smell like milk, only somewhat more concentrated
If you smell anything sour or foul when you get close to your heavy cream, it’s a sure sign that it’s gone bad
Don’t cook or consume any heavy cream that smells “off” It can make you sick
How Does Your Heavy Cream Look Like?
Heavy cream should be thick with a smooth consistency
There shouldn’t be any clumps or mold growing in the cream
Another sign that your heavy cream is bad is if there’s a lot of water or clear liquid separated from the cream
Sometimes heavy cream becomes grainy
If your heavy cream smells good and looks normal, you should have enough confidence to give it a taste!
Heavy cream should have a plain milky taste unless it’s sweetened and used for homemade whipping cream
Can You Use Expired Heavy Cream?
It’s always best to use foods before their expiration date
Using expired foods increases your chances of getting sick or having your ingredients ruin something like a cream sauce or other recipes
How long is heavy cream good for after the expiration date?
To be safe, throw out any heavy cream past its expiration date
However, if you unknowingly use heavy cream that is a couple of days past the expiry date, it’s unlikely anything will happen to you
Will Spoiled Heavy Cream Make You Sick?
This is why it’s so essential to know when something has gone bad
Minor cases of illness that can result from using spoiled heavy cream include things like a stomachache or indigestion
Apart from this, consuming spoiled heavy cream can cause severe food poisoning which can make you extremely sick
It can send you to the hospital and, in the worst scenarios, it can be fatal so avoid taking or using heavy cream that you have determined to be spoiled
What Happens if You Cook with Spoiled Heavy Cream?
One of the biggest challenges with bad heavy cream is that it’s harder to cook with
Ideally, a good heavy cream will augment any sauce or dish you’re adding it to
When you cook with soured heavy cream however, the cream is much more likely to clump
It will also affect how everything tastes, so avoid cooking with spoiled heavy cream!
How Long Will Heavy Cream Last in the Fridge?
How long does cream last once opened?
Heavy cream should last around a week once you open it
If you want it to last as long as possible, keep it in a sealed container where air and moisture won’t get in
If you leave an open container of heavy cream in the fridge, it will go bad in a few days
It’s a relatively fragile ingredient, which is why heavy cream generally costs more in grocery stores
Heavy cream is not really supposed to smell sour
Heavy cream is not really supposed to smell sour
Heavy cream is not really supposed to smell sour
While it shouldn’t have a sour smell, a slightly sour smell doesn’t always mean the heavy cream is bad
Typically, you only want to throw away heavy cream if the smell is so off-putting you wouldn’t want to eat it
That, combined with how it looks and tastes, should be enough clues to help you decide if it’s still fresh
How Do You Use Spoiled Heavy Whipping Cream?
How do you use old heavy cream?
You’ve probably heard of sour cream, which is the same as slightly spoiled heavy cream
If you have heavy whipping cream, you can mix it to turn it into butter
Use a mixer to stir the soured heavy whipping cream to separate the whey
Heavy cream is the same as heavy whipping cream
Just be sure to read the packaging because some whipping cream comes with added sugar
It’s okay if you’re making homemade whipped cream, but you won’t want something with so much sugar for the dinner you’re cooking
Heavy cream is a fantastic ingredient for people cooking at home and in restaurants
Always check to see whether it’s still fresh before you use it
In addition, consider not throwing out old heavy cream that’s gone bad!
Instead, use it for butter, sour cream, and other delicious ingredients
https://wwweatbydatecom/dairy/milk/dairy-coffee-cream-shelf-life-expiration-date/
https://foodsguycom/heavy-cream-is-bad/
For the most part, heavy cream is consumable without fear of spoilage
From whipped cream and cake frosting to hearty pasta, a decadent omelet, or a delicious cream of mushroom soup, there are countless reasons to always have a carton of heavy cream in the fridge
Considering that heavy cream comes in relatively large 16-32 ounce cartons, that’s not really difficult to achieve
Even if you add a generous dollop of cream to your dish, you’ll have plenty left over for adding to other dishes in the days and weeks to come
But how long can you keep an opened carton of heavy cream in the refrigerator?
Refrigerated, an opened carton of cream will keep up to 3-4 weeks
Remember to close the cap of the carton tightly before storing it on the middle shelves of your fridge, where the temperature is most suitable for dairy
If the heavy cream came in a container with a foil lid and you can’t reseal it as it is, put it in a ziplock bag or, better yet, transfer it from its original packaging to an airtight food storage container
That’s good and all… but, if you forgot when you put it in there in the first place, as it often happens, how can you tell if the heavy cream hasn’t gone bad?
Mold, curdling, and/or an off-putting odor are signs that a carton of heavy cream in your fridge has spoiled and you should no longer use it
If you suspect that heavy cream has spoiled, throw it away immediately so that others in your household don’t try to eat it
Curdling and a sour smell are usually the first signs that heavy cream is past its prime
Treat mold as a warning sign that you will most probably get food poisoning if you cook or eat the cream, so never ignore it
There’s also the fact that spoiled heavy cream can no longer be whipped—an unmistakable sign of spoilage to watch out for when you use it as an ingredient to prepare frosting for a cake
Now, it can be hard to determine whether or not the cream is curdling if you keep it in its original container because these containers are not see-through
So, before you add all the cream to your dish, pour a sample into a dark bowl or clear storage container to observe the consistency
After all, you don’t want to ruin an entire dish with spoiled cream, do you?
Why Does Heavy Cream Last So Long?
Heavy cream milk is basically the fatty part of fresh milk
With 36-40% milkfat (compare that to the 325% fat content of whole milk), there’s no wonder why it can make any dish creamy and velvety
Dairy producers make heavy cream by separating the fat from the milk at the processing plant
The high fat content of heavy cream provides additional protection against spoilage, there’s no doubt about it, but the main reason for its relatively long shelf life is the UHT processing, which many of us know as “pasteurization”
The Wrong Way to Store Heavy Cream
Heavy cream is a dairy product and a perishable food item
Tips On Storing Heavy Cream
Keep cartons of heavy cream refrigerated at all times, no matter if you’ve opened them or not
The best place in your fridge for storing heavy cream (and dairy products as a whole) is the middle shelf
Avoid storing heavy cream on the refrigerator door shelves
As the door opens and closes—and your fridge works hard to compensate for the loss of cold—the temperature on the shelves will fluctuate greatly and shorten the life of the cream
Heavy cream becomes particularly susceptible to spoilage once it’s opened
So only open that carton of cream when you’re sure you are going to need it, and, if it has been opened, cover it in a ziplock bag or move it to an airtight food storage container
Heavy cream is a staple in the American household
Your heavy cream should be odorless, not sour
As long as you keep these points in mind, you will not have to worry about any heavy cream mishaps