Coffee lovers all over the world prefer to mix a coffee creamer in their coffee. Asides from its unique taste, it is an essential need in the coffees of many people. But what happens if you drink coffee with an expired coffee creamer?
Drinking an expired coffee creamer will not be the end of the world. Although, you must have heard that if the coffee creamer is no longer of good quality, it can affect the taste of your coffee and may also affect your health.
Ahead, this article explains what happens if you drink expired creamer in coffee.
What is a coffee creamer?
Coffee creamer is a heavy plus condensed cream for your coffee. It is a liquid added to coffee by a lot of people. It tastes similar to milk and comes in many flavors like strawberry, chocolate, hazelnut, and more.
There are two major forms of coffee creamers. They include powdered coffee creamers and liquid coffee creamers.
Coffee creamer is made from dairy products such as milk, half-and-half cream, or non-dairy substitutes. Although dairy versions contain milk, they are mostly sugar and corn syrup.
The main enticement of coffee creamer is the smooth and silky texture it gives your cup of coffee. It adds this richness and texture you can’t resist. Creamers are a maneuver for making a café-Esque latte without any barista skills.
Can you drink expired coffee creamer?
Yes, you can, especially if your creamer was properly stored and the seal is still intact.
Unlike common notions, the expiration date is not an exact measurement of whether the food has lost its quality or not. Odds are you can use a non-dairy creamer after its expiration date.
But if the coffee creamer smells sour and has lost its flavor, it can affect your health and make you very sick. That’s because bacteria must have grown inside the coffee creamer and this affects your health badly.
So, you must be cautious when drinking coffee with coffee creamers; smell it, taste it, or check out the texture to ensure it’s still in a good state.
What happens if you drink expired coffee creamer?
You risk food poisoning if you drink expired coffee creamer. Drinking expired coffee creamer can cause stomach pain and digestive tract problems that can take a few days to heal.
The symptoms of these conditions include diarrhea, indigestion, acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting.
Can expired powdered coffee creamer make you sick?
No, it won’t. Expired creamer will taste rancid and will affect the taste of your coffee. This will not make you sick unless you drink creamer that is many months past its expiration date.
In addition, expired creamer will make you sick if it has been contaminated.
How long can expired coffee creamer last?
Unopened expired coffee creamer can last up to 2 weeks after the expiration date. If you have opened your creamer, consume it within a week.
How do you know your coffee creamer has expired?
Like every other product, coffee creamers go off too. For liquid coffee creamer, you should watch out for texture changes, clumps, and lumps. Also, watch out for a change in smell, a sour odor, and specifically, a change in taste.
If your creamer has passed its expiration date, you can drink a teaspoon of your creamer to check its taste to know if it has lost its quality or not. If it is still good enough, you can continue using it; if not, throw it away.
For opened creamer containers of more than 7 or 8 days, discard them as soon as possible unless it is specifically stated by the producer that it is still good even opened.
Also, for powdered creamer, beware of texture changes and signs of mold. However, if the package has been stored in a cool, dry place, it should last many months after the expiration date.
Also, check the quality of powdered creamer by preparing a cup of coffee as a test. If the taste hasn’t changed, then the powder is still okay.
FAQs
Can coffee creamer go bad before it expires?
Yes, it can. How quickly coffee creamer goes bad before its expiration date depends on how you stored it, the temperature of the room where you stored it, and the printed date.
So, it’s important to store your coffee creamer properly and always smell, taste, and check out the texture before consumption.
Can you freeze coffee creamer?
Yes, you can. It is very easy for you to freeze dairy creamer because it’s a milk-based item. You can put the bottle in your freezer for six months, and it’ll be preserved.
Can you drink coffee creamer left out overnight?
Yes, you can. It contains preservatives that allow them to stay longer. This is as long as the creamer was in a cool, dry place.
Why does your creamer separate in your coffee?
Coffee that is high in lactic acid mixed with old or expired cream will cause the cream to curdle and separate.
Conclusion
The expiration date is not usually the main yardstick for determining if your coffee creamer has lost its quality. Therefore, as long as the smell, taste, and texture are intact, it is still safe to add them to your coffee drink.
However, if the smell, taste, and texture have changed, you can tell that the coffee creamer has lost its quality. Drinking expired creamer may cause food poisoning.
So, before using your coffee creamer, check properly to ensure it is still in a good state. Also, you must store and preserve your powdered coffee creamer properly to keep moisture out.
Thank you for reading.
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