Frozen milk is absolutely safe to consume and use in cooking, baking, and beverage preparation.
Almost all types of milk can be frozen. Milk can be frozen for up to six months, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that it should be ideally consumed within three months. This is because freezing milk for a longer duration reduces its quality, so you must label your milk with the date you placed it in the freezer. Ideally, pasteurized milk in sealed or unopened bottles is frozen. Frozen milk should be consumed within two to three days of thawing.
- To prevent the formation of harmful pathogens, it is best to thaw milk in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature.
- If you plan to use frozen milk in your cooking, then you may thaw it directly in the pan while cooking.
Nevertheless, no matter how thick your container is, milk is known to absorb the aroma of any food it is stored near. Frozen milk should be consumed within one month and stored away from frozen fish, meats, and other strongly flavored items.
What are the guidelines for freezing types of milk?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends freezing milk in a freezer at 0°F (−18°C). Freezing does not kill any bacteria present in the milk, but it will inhibit the growth of such harmful microorganisms.
Both dairy and non-dairy milk can be frozen in the same way. Just keep in mind that freezing and defrosting nondairy milk can cause the cream to separate and become slightly gritty, so only use defrosted nondairy milk for smoothies or cooking. Defrosted dairy milk can appear gritty but a quick shake or blending in a blender can turn it into smooth milk and can be used in cooking and even drinking.
The effects of freezing eight different types of milk include:
- Breast milk:
- Expressed breast milk can be saved to feed your infant from a bottle or cup as needed.
- Breast milk can be frozen for up to six months in a sterile container or breast milk storage bag.
- It is preferable to defrost frozen breast milk gently in the refrigerator before feeding it to your baby. However, if you need to use it right away, defrost it in a jug of warm water or under running warm water.
- To avoid hot spots appearing in the milk due to uneven heating and potentially burning your infant, breast milk should never be warmed in the microwave.
- If your baby prefers to drink it cold, you may feed it directly from the fridge, where it can be kept for up to four days.
- The defrosted breast milk must be used within an hour, so any leftover after your child consumes, it must be discarded.
- Cow’s milk:
- Cow's milk may be readily frozen. However, this may change the texture and make it gritty due to fat separation.
- This can make it unpleasant as a standalone beverage, but it does not affect its usage in smoothies, cooking, or baking.
- Goat’s milk:
- Goat's milk can be easily frozen and has little fat separation throughout the process just like cow’s milk.
- Goat's milk may be frozen for two to six months and should be consumed within three to four days of defrosting.
- Goat's milk, like cow's milk, should only be frozen one time to preserve its flavor and consistency.
- Almond milk:
- Almond milk may be kept for up to six months after freezing although there are certain restrictions.
- Many producers do not encourage freezing it because, like most other types of milk, it separates but cannot be completely fixed by mixing.
- If you do freeze almond milk, it is best to use it in baking and cooking rather than drinking it.
- Almond milk should be consumed within two to four days of defrosting.
- Soy milk:
- Like almond milk, soy milk is another plant-based milk that can be stored for up to six months.
- However, after defrosting, it needs to be blended to restore part of its characteristic creamy texture.
- To prevent separation, you may thoroughly shake or swirl soy milk before freezing it.
- After defrosting, soy milk should be used within two to three months.
- Condensed milk:
- Condensed milk can be frozen although it will not freeze solid due to its high sugar content.
- This means it does not need to be thawed after usage although the texture does thicken and becomes more viscous after freezing.
- Frozen condensed milk should be used within three to six months for better results.
- Evaporated milk:
- It is possible to freeze evaporated milk, and it is kept in the freezer for three to six months.
- You should never freeze it in a can because this may damage the container.
- Although evaporated milk separates after defrosting and cannot be rectified by stirring or blending, it can still be used as an ingredient in many recipes.
- Coconut milk:
- Coconut milk can be frozen, and it is frozen in a tin to avoid rupture when the milk swells.
- It may be frozen for up to three months and should be used within three to five days of thawing.
- Coconut milk, like other plant-based kinds of milk, may separate after freezing.
How to freeze milk
Milk should be frozen before it expires, and it is better to freeze it in small containers. Milk tends to expand as it freezes, so it is ideal to leave some space in the container—at least two inches of room at the top to prevent the container from splitting when the milk swells.
It is natural to find that the fat separates from the rest of the milk as it freezes. This occurs because the milk components, minerals, and proteins defrost first followed by the water in the milk.
- It is highly recommended to avoid freezing milk in glass bottles because they crack once frozen.
- You cannot use carton boxes to freeze milk because they expand and burst in the freezer.
- You may freeze milk in a plastic gallon bottle, but it is recommended to divide it into two or three freezer-safe plastic containers to make thawing simpler.
Ideally, you must allow the milk to defrost completely in the refrigerator before using it. Milk fats can thaw independently from milk water, so if it does not defrost completely, it may not be as smooth as normal milk, but a quick shake can mix them well.
The milk is safe to consume or use in recipes. The process of deterioration is stopped by the freezing process, so you must use the thawed milk as soon as possible before it goes bad.
Some people believe that freezing milk affects its flavor, so if you plan on storing it for the first time, store them in small quantities and see how you like it. You can even freeze milk in ice cube trays if you plan to use them in your recipes.
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Why does frozen milk appear different?
You may observe that frozen milk turns yellow; this does not mean that milk has gone bad.
- During the freezing process, fat gets separated from all other components of the milk and gives a grainy look.
- The fat contains beta carotenes that give the characteristic yellow color to the frozen milk. The higher the fat in the milk, the more yellow is seen.
- However, the milk may turn back whitish as it defrosts.
Not all types of milk freeze the same way.
- Plant-based milk such as almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, and flax milk gets a gritty texture after freezing owing to fat separation.
- Dairy-based milk, such as cow's milk and goat milk, freezes well but may likely separate.
- Skim and fat-free milk freeze the best because they are low in fat.
Along with texture and color, the flavor of milk alters when it is frozen. It will have a more delicate taste. Although milk becomes gritty and often greenish as it is thawed, it is crucial to understand that these alterations are not dangerous.
Frozen milk is safe to consume and use in cooking, baking, and beverage preparation.
Medically Reviewed on 7/7/2022
References
Image Source: iStock image
How to Freeze Milk: https://www.primalsurvivor.net/freeze-milk/
Fresh or Frozen: The Facts about Freezing Milk: https://www.milkgenomics.org/?splash=fresh-frozen-facts-freezing-milk
