Shelf life of cottage cheese: in the refrigerator, without a refrigerator (at room temperature), in a bag, homemade and store-bought

Shelf life according to GOST

You can familiarize yourself with the standards that must be followed in order not to harm your health by consuming cottage cheese from the following documents:

GOST 31453-2013 “Cottage cheese. Technical conditions".
San PiN 2.3.2 1324-03 “Hygienic requirements for shelf life and storage conditions of food products.”

Clause 8.2 of GOST 31453-2013 stipulates that the manufacturer can independently set the shelf life of cottage cheese and products made from it.

The shelf life of all perishable products is specified in San PiN 2.3.2 1324-03. In the section on dairy products, there is a description of how long a particular milk product can be preserved at air temperatures from -2 to +4 degrees Celsius. Read more about proper storage and shelf life of milk here.

According to GOST, fresh cottage cheese must be odorless, mucus and acidic, white or white-cream, crumbly and uniform in structure and color. It may contain small particles of milk protein.

It is very important to remember what expiration dates are set for the following products:

raw cottage cheese and products made from it are suitable for 72 hours;
cottage cheese and products after heat treatment – 5 days;
shelf life of cottage cheese dishes (pancakes with cottage cheese, dumplings and other products) is 24 hours;
cottage cheese casseroles – 48 hours;
children's cottage cheese - 36 hours.

What are the shelf life and shelf life of cottage cheese and cottage cheese products? Is it possible to eat expired product?

Cottage cheese is a biologically useful product; it is rich in proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. However, fermented milk product belongs to a perishable group of products, so it cannot be eaten after the expiration date.

In this article, let's look at questions about what storage conditions and expiration dates must be followed so that cottage cheese and cottage cheese products retain their beneficial properties.

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What is the shelf life of products according to GOST and SanPin?

According to GOST 31453-2013 “Cottage cheese. Technical specifications "cottage cheese is a fermented milk product that is produced using various starter microorganisms, after which the whey is removed by pressing.

In terms of organoleptic characteristics, this fermented milk product must meet the following requirements:

consistency – soft and spreadable or crumbly with particles of milk protein (or without them), a slight release of whey is allowed;
taste and smell – fermented milk, without foreign tastes and odors;
color – uniform white or with a cream tint.

Based on Article 5 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights,” indicating expiration dates on curd products is mandatory. It is installed by the manufacturer in accordance with paragraph 8.2 of GOST 31453-2013, taking into account the requirements of regulatory legal acts in the field of food safety.

Appendix 1 to SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03 indicates the following expiration dates for particularly perishable and perishable products, which include:

cottage cheese and curd products – 72 hours;
cottage cheese and curd products, heat-treated – 5 days;
cottage cheese dishes (lazy dumplings, cottage cheese pancakes, cottage cheese fillings for baking) – 24 hours;
cottage cheese casseroles and puddings – 48 hours;
children's cottage cheese - 36 hours.

What are the storage conditions and time?

The conditions and periods of storage of cottage cheese and products based on it are regulated by regulatory documents GOST 31453-2013 and SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03.

Indication of the shelf life on the packaging of cottage cheese is mandatory according to the law; also, according to GOST R 51074-2003, this characteristic can be applied to the product labeling at the request of the manufacturer in one of two forms:

date of manufacture (month and year or day, month and year);
number of days/days, months or years.

Temperature

At room temperature, cottage cheese and products made from it are not stored for longer than 4-6 hours . This is due to the fact that the temperature in a living space usually ranges from 18 to 25ºC. It is this range that is optimal for the start of fermentation of a fermented milk product and the development of microorganisms in it, which entails a reduction in shelf life.

To eat cottage cheese, it is recommended to remove the required portion from the refrigerator, transfer it to a separate bowl, and eat immediately.

In the refrigerator, it is recommended to store the fermented milk product at a temperature of (4±2)°C on the top shelf, closer to the rear wall of the unit. Under these conditions, the storage duration ranges from 24 to 120 hours, depending on the type of product.

In the freezer

It is recommended to store cottage cheese in a home freezer at -18°C. It should be frozen in the temperature range -18…-35°C. Cottage cheese can be stored under these conditions for no more than 60 days. In freezers with a constant temperature of 0 to -15°C, the shelf life of the fermented milk product is reduced, and it will be from one to two weeks.

To consume frozen cottage cheese, leave it in the refrigerator until completely defrosted for about 12-18 hours. Re-freezing the product is not allowed .

Type of packaging

In vacuum packaging, cottage cheese can be stored at a temperature of (4±2)°C for up to 30 days.

Plastic containers

In plastic containers intended for storing food, cottage cheese retains its properties for 72 hours .

Parchment paper/foil

Parchment paper and foil are used to preserve the product for a period of no more than 72 hours.

By weight

Loose cottage cheese is usually sold in plastic bags or disposable plastic containers:

In the first case, the fermented milk product is stored for no more than 36 hours.
In the second case, the period increases to 72 hours.

But these expiration dates are accurate only if the seller, in front of the buyer, opened the factory hermetically sealed container with the fermented milk product. If the container has been opened, then it is worth checking with the seller what dates should be taken into account.

Important! Cottage cheese purchased in a plastic bag should only be stored untied. Since in a closed package there is a risk that the useful product will simply “suffocate” and spoil within 6-18 hours

The shelf life of cottage cheese and products based on it depends on a number of factors:

Technological process in production. The shelf life and storage of the manufactured product directly depend on it. And since cottage cheese is a perishable product, it is subject to increased requirements, including:
continuous technological process;
serviceable and correctly adjusted equipment;
compliance with the production process in accordance with technological maps and regulatory documentation.
Fat content of fermented milk product . According to GOST 31453-2013 “Cottage cheese. Technical specifications" mass fraction of cottage cheese fat ranges from 0 to 23%. The higher the mass fraction of fat in a product, the shorter its shelf life. That is why natural homemade cottage cheese will be stored much shorter than factory-made cottage cheese with adjusted fat content.
Package . Cottage cheese in vacuum packaging will be usable much longer than, for example, a product in a plastic bag. This is explained by the fact that with the vacuum packaging method, excess air is removed and the entry of new air is completely limited, which slows down the process of deterioration of the natural product.
Temperature regime . At low temperatures in the freezer, the shelf life of cottage cheese and cottage cheese products is longer than in a refrigerator. Since lower temperatures slow down or completely stop the activity of bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms.

How long can you eat an expired product and is it dangerous?

Eating cottage cheese after its expiration date is highly discouraged, since this fermented milk product contains live lactic acid microorganisms. And they, if the storage conditions and periods are violated, can turn from a normal state into a conditionally pathogenic one, which can lead to poisoning.

Also, during storage of fermented milk products, they form:

coli bacteria;
yeast;
mold;
staphylococci;
salmonella.

You can read about the shelf life and storage rules for fermented milk products such as kefir in another article.

This group of bacteria, by default, is already opportunistic and under certain conditions (high humidity, favorable temperature, weakened human immunity), it can acquire pathogenic properties that can lead to severe forms of poisoning and even death.

But cottage cheese with an expiration date or a specimen that has not changed its organoleptic properties several days before the expiration date can be eaten. To do this, it must be subjected to heat treatment. For example, prepare cheesecakes, dumplings, casseroles, etc.

Important! The product subject to heat treatment should not be stored for a long time, but it is better to eat it immediately.

In order to make sure whether the cottage cheese has spoiled or not, you should pay attention to the following signs that indicate its spoilage:

rich yellow color of the mass;
heterogeneous mass, with lumps that vary greatly in size;
pronounced sour odor;
unpleasant moldy taste.

Summarizing the above material, it should be emphasized that both the manufacturer and the buyer must comply with the standards and rules for storing finished cottage cheese and products based on it. Since this product tends to quickly deteriorate and lose useful substances necessary for the human body.

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What determines how long a product will be stored in the refrigerator?

Would you like to know what determines the shelf life of this valuable product? These are the following factors:

Heat treatment method. Factory-made cottage cheese is stored the longest, for the production of which special heat treatment technologies were used.
Storage temperature. It should be within 2-6 °C, and the optimal temperature for long-term storage cottage cheese is -18 °C. The lower the temperature, the longer its freshness and beneficial properties are preserved.
Package. Curd products are stored in vacuum packaging for a long time - up to 30 days.
Fat content. Low-fat 2-5% cottage cheese, which is made from skim milk, has the longest shelf life. 9% half-fat cottage cheese, which is prepared from whole and skim milk, is saved a little less. And a product with a high percentage of fat content (18% or more) has a very short shelf life.
Air humidity. To keep the cottage cheese fresh longer, air humidity of 30-45% is required.

Additional information about storage

I have already described how long cottage cheese is stored in the refrigerator in a bag or enamel container, but this applies more to a regular store-bought product. Homemade food, which is not subject to additional processing and the addition of preservatives, has its own storage conditions.

Homemade cottage cheese

The shelf life of homemade cottage cheese in the refrigerator is shorter than that of store-bought cottage cheese.

The question of how long homemade cottage cheese can be stored in the refrigerator is quite difficult and does not have a clear answer.

Everything will depend on the freshness of the product itself.

The shelf life of homemade cottage cheese in the refrigerator, prepared with your own hands, can reach about 48 hours.
A product purchased from your grandmother at the market (even if it has been tested) is better to eat on the day of purchase. Taking risks and relying only on appearance is more expensive for yourself. The price for such confidence is poisoning with a serious course of the disease.

Vacuum packaging

Vacuum packaging significantly increases the shelf life of food

Cottage cheese purchased in vacuum packaging is a real record holder for shelf life. The vacuum allows the product to remain fresh, tasty and suitable for consumption for about a month. Agree, this is much more than the food content in ordinary paper.

The instructions on the package will tell you the most optimal temperature for storage; you just have to choose the appropriate shelf for it in the refrigerator.

How to determine freshness?

Many people buy cottage cheese exclusively in the store, but there are also those who prefer only the product purchased at the market. In both cases, there is a risk of buying a product that is not of high quality. Let's figure out what you need to pay attention to in order to choose natural and high-quality cottage cheese from all the variety of products.

Package. It must be airtight, so the risk of pathogenic bacteria getting into the cottage cheese will be minimal.
Best before date. Real cottage cheese, according to GOST, can be stored for no more than 72 hours. If this number is higher, then you have a product with additives.
Name on the label. According to the law, a product containing starch and vegetable fats cannot be called cottage cheese (such products are called differently - cottage cheese, curd mass or curd product).
Ingredients on the label. The name “cottage cheese” must be indicated, as well as the number of lactic acid bacteria.
Color. Natural cottage cheese must be white or white-cream.
Price. It cannot be very low, since a lot of milk is used to make cottage cheese.

When buying loose cottage cheese, pay attention to its color, smell, taste and structure.

The smell is neither sweet nor sour.
Taste – without acid and bitterness.
The structure of the cottage cheese must be crumbly; it is this property that will help distinguish real cottage cheese from the curd mass.

At home, it is possible to check cottage cheese for the presence of the following additives:

Starch. If you drop a drop of an alcohol solution of iodine on the cottage cheese and it turns blue, it means that the product you purchased contains starch.
Vegetable fats. To check, place a small amount of cottage cheese on a plate and leave in a warm place for one day. If the product dries and becomes crusty, no sour smell appears and no yellow spots form on its surface, then the cottage cheese is natural. If everything is the other way around, it means this is a fake.

In which container will cottage cheese last longer?

Containers with the ability to create a vacuum help avoid spoilage of products prone to souring and mold formation. Weighed cottage cheese can be preserved using an airtight container with excess air removed. Wrapping in foil will have a similar result. It is safest to store the product in its original sealed packaging.

If the indicated expiration date has expired, mold has appeared on the surface of the cottage cheese, and the product itself has acquired a pronounced sour smell, then you can bake it at a high temperature. Heat treatment and flavoring additives neutralize harmful factors.

A slight delay of 2-3 days is acceptable. It is better to throw away a completely spoiled product.

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What should I do if, after opening, a defective product is discovered?

In this case, according to the law, it is possible to return such a product to the store within the expiration period indicated on the packaging.

Important. Once the expiration date has passed, selling the product is strictly prohibited.

What if the product is not replaced?

He is obliged to accept the goods and conduct a quality check. If the seller accuses the buyer that the product has deteriorated due to his fault, an examination is ordered, which is carried out at the expense of the seller in the presence of the client.

The buyer has the right to challenge the result of the examination in case of disagreement. If, after the examination, it is established that the product has deteriorated through no fault of the client, the seller must pay the cost of the goods; otherwise, the buyer will reimburse the seller for the costs of conducting the examination.

If the seller refuses to pay the money, a claim is filed. If this does not lead to payment of the cost of the goods, the buyer should go to court.

How to store without refrigeration

It is very difficult to store dairy products without refrigeration. If you can extend the shelf life of milk by boiling, and butter by wrapping it in parchment soaked in salted water, then these methods do not work with cottage cheese.

Still, there are ways in which, if absolutely necessary, you can extend the viability of this product:

Place the cottage cheese in a clean and dry glass jar, compacting it as tightly as possible so that air does not penetrate. Cover the container with gauze soaked in salt water. Place in a cool place, protected from light.
In the past, this method was also used: homemade cottage cheese was placed in an enamel pan or a special barrel. The walls of the container were pre-treated with hot steam, and the bottom was sprinkled with table salt. The top of the product was covered with a cloth soaked in saline solution and closed with a lid on which oppression was placed.

However, even at a temperature lower than room temperature, pathogenic bacteria begin to grow in the cottage cheese, while lactic acid bacteria are inhibited, which leads to spoilage of the product.

Tip of the day
Buy the product in quantities in which you can use it for food or for making dishes within the next 24 hours.

How to keep it fresh for a long time in the refrigerator?

By weight

To store cottage cheese purchased by weight, transfer it from a plastic bag to foil or parchment or wrap it in damp linen cloth or gauze - this will keep it fresh.
Having packaged the product in this way, place it in a container with a lid and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Thus, storage is possible for no more than 3 days at a temperature of 2-6°C. By lowering the temperature to 0°C, you can increase savings, but only for a few days.

Important. Cottage cheese cannot be stored for a long time at room temperature, since heat accelerates oxidation processes and the product loses its taste and beneficial properties.

Store bought in packs

After buying cottage cheese in a store, at home, be sure to transfer it from the packaging into an airtight container with a tight lid. Enameled, ceramic, glass or food containers are suitable. If there is no lid, you can wrap the container with cling film. A product packaged in a large piece will be better crumbled.

And be sure to check on the packaging how long it can be stored and where: in the refrigerator or freezer. Cottage cheese in vacuum packaging can be stored for up to 30 days, but you should pay attention to how long it is open, because after opening the contents are stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days .

Curd products

Curd products are stored longer, since such products have already undergone heat treatment. Store pancakes, pies with cottage cheese filling and other products with cottage cheese in the refrigerator for no longer than 12 hours at a temperature of 4-8°C. At temperatures below +4°C, savings are permissible from 24 to 48 hours. Store such products in tightly sealed containers.

Using freezing to store cottage cheese

According to GOST, cottage cheese can be stored in the freezer. The frozen product fully retains its consumer and nutritional qualities. It just needs to be defrosted before use.

How long can the product be kept in the freezer:

in an industrial freezer at a temperature of -35 °C for about six months;
in a home freezer, where the temperature is -18 °C for several months;
If the freezer is of low power with a temperature of -15 ° C, the cottage cheese is suitable for consumption for one to two weeks.

It is best to defrost cottage cheese gradually by transferring it to the refrigerator; this process usually takes about 11 hours.

If it is defrosted at room temperature, then it can be used only after heat treatment, and the nutritional quality will be lower.

Can I put it in the freezer and how long can I keep it frozen?

It is important to remember that when frozen, cottage cheese loses almost a third of its valuable qualities, but this does not affect the taste. To store cottage cheese in the freezer, first place it in portions in sealed bags or food containers, this will ensure insulation from air and foreign odors.

A product that has previously been stored in the refrigerator for no more than 72 hours is frozen. You can store cottage cheese in the freezer at a temperature of -18 °C for one to two months. If the temperature in the chamber is from 0 to -15 °C, then frozen semi-finished curd products are stored for up to 2 weeks. Cottage cheese-based dishes are also frozen.

To use frozen cottage cheese, first defrost it for about 5 hours in the refrigerator and then at room temperature.

Cottage cheese cannot be frozen several times, since if it is re-frozen, all valuable properties will be lost.

In addition to vitamins and carbohydrates, dairy products contain fats, proteins and a lot of moisture. They provide a breeding ground for the development of bacteria that enter the milk during milking. On our website you will find complete information about the shelf life and storage of dairy and fermented milk products: yogurt, butter, milk powder, ice cream, condensed milk, sour cream and kefir.

How to preserve homemade cottage cheese?

Fans of healthy eating prefer cottage cheese not from the store, but prepared with their own hands. Its storage conditions include:

optimal temperature from +0 to +6;
lack of lighting (like any dairy product, it loses its nutritional value in the light);
moderate air humidity – within 75%;
high-quality packaging;
compliance with deadlines - no more than 2 days.

And here you will learn how to properly store cheese and what expiration date it has.

Particular attention should be paid to containers or packaging for storing curd products. They may be:

plastic bag , providing the shortest shelf life - only 24 hours;

Read here what you can do with sour cream that has expired.

enamel or glass dishes with a lid, parchment paper – 36 hours;
plastic food container that preserves the product for 48 hours;
a bag or container for vacuum storage (if you have mastered the skills of vacuuming at home), guaranteeing the longest storage period - up to 30 days.

There are recommendations for storing cottage cheese in cotton fabric. But this is not always justified - the fabric itself can become a source of bacteria.

Is it possible to eat a product that has expired?

Cottage cheese is a living product, therefore, if the storage terms and rules are violated, the bacteria and enzymes included in the composition can cause serious poisoning. That is why it is not recommended to consume cottage cheese that has expired.

However, if the storage period has already ended, but this did not affect the other qualities, the product is allowed to be eaten, but only after heat treatment. For example, in the form of cheesecakes or casseroles.

Remember that cottage cheese poisoning can cause irreparable harm to your health. Therefore, in order to get the maximum amount of useful microelements and vitamins, be sure to follow the rules for storing curd products described in this article. Using these tips, you can prevent damage to such a valuable product.

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Things to remember

Before purchasing, pay attention to the production date . Depending on the packaging, store-bought goods are stored for about 3 weeks, home-made no more than 3 days.
In the storage location, maintain an optimal temperature of no higher than +8 ° C and a humidity of 30–45%.
Store the fermented milk treat in the freezer : from -2 to -10 °C - 7 days, from -12 to -18 °C - 2 weeks, from -25 °C - 3 weeks.
For proper defrosting, transfer the curd mass from the freezer to the refrigerator and leave to gradually thaw for 10–12 hours.
For containers, use an airtight container, a plastic bag, enamel dishes, clay containers, or a salad bowl.
Outside the refrigerator, store the fermented milk treat in the coolest place for no more than 12 hours, or in winter on the balcony for 2 days.

Video: how to freeze milk, cheese, cottage cheese, kefir, butter and other dairy products