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How Long Can Yogurt Sit Out?

First of all, you need to understand that yogurt is the same as kefir. It is customary to classify these products as one type.

Very often, people ask the question: what is the difference between kefir and yogurt? There are essentially only two differences:

1. First, to enhance and improve the taste, yogurt is filled with sugar, flavorings, preservatives, and synthetic components (carbohydrates). Kefir is always traditional in this regard: nothing extraneous, only useful elements.
2. The second significant difference – cultures of different origins (bacteria and microorganisms), which are used to ferment the milk.

Topic: How Long Can Yogurt Sit Out?

The nature of origin is a factor affecting the shelf life of yogurt.

Yogurt is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. What does this mean?

During which pyruvate is reduced to lactic acid, lactic acid fermentation is carried out by lactic acid bacteria and other organisms. When fermenting milk, lactic acid bacteria convert lactose into lactic acid, converting milk into fermented milk products (yogurt, yogurt, etc.); lactic acid gives these products a sour taste.
Lactic acid fermentation is used for the preservation of food (by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms with lactic acid and lowering the pH) for long-term preservation (pickling vegetables, raw smoking), preparing fermented milk products (kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, sour cream), ensiling plant matter, and also a biotechnological method for the production of lactic acid.

Therefore, a reasonable question arises: how quickly does yogurt spoil? – answer: fast, but not as fast as you might think.

Yogurt comes in numerous flavors and varieties such as:

1. Low-fat yogurt
2. Frozen yogurt
3. Greek yogurt
4. Fruit yogurt
5. Drinking yogurt.

The beneficial active cultures (bacteria and microorganisms) contribute to the healthy functioning of the intestinal environment. No wonder why kefir and yogurt are the most popular dairy products in the world!

“Live” yogurt is closest in composition to bio kefir if it does not contain starch for thickness, additives to improve the taste, colorants for color, and preservatives for longevity.

Real “live” yogurt has a shelf life:

• no more than a week
• stored only in the refrigerator at a temperature not exceeding 8 ° C.

If the yogurt packaging says a 30-day expiration date, this yogurt is generally not worth attention; it contains preservatives that are not typical for this product.

With unopened packaging        Refrigerator                                           Freezer
Expiry date from the                               Expiry date from the date on the package

date on the package
Frozen –                                                —                                                  2-3 months
Drinking                                               7-10 days                                      1-2 months
Greek                                                   1-2 weeks                                      1-2 months
Low in fat                                             1-2 weeks                                      1-2 months
Plain, classic                                         2-3 weeks                                      1-2 months
Fruit                                                      7-10 days                                      1-2 months

Opened packaging                                Fridge                                          Freezer
Expiry date from the date                        Expiry date from the date on the package

on the package
Any kind                                                 1 Sunday                                     1 month

How long does yogurt last after its shelf life?

The shelf life of yogurt and its expiry date depends on the sale date, preparation method, and storage conditions.

When stored properly, yogurt can be stored for a certain length of time, starting from the date on the package, which can be seen in the table below:
The shelf life of yogurt directly depends on the conditions of its keeping. It is important to remember: like most other dairy products, it has a shelf life with the last date by which the manufacturer can vouch for the quality of the product, not its safety. All yogurt manufacturers claim to guarantee the product’s quality within 7 days after the specified expiration date but do not talk about the safety time of use (although they agree: yogurt can be eaten within 7 days). Therefore, you can safely use the product after the expiration date on the package.

How to tell if yogurt is spoiled and unusable?

Intuitively and “by eye,” you will understand if the yogurt has gone bad. Yogurt contains whey with very beneficial substances. It is a liquid on the surface of consistency, and it is in minimal quantities, which is entirely normal. But an increased amount of the liquid’s surface and when a whole “puddle” or its frozen texture is obtained near the bottom of the container are the first signs of spoilage of the yogurt.

The final signal that your yogurt has gone bad is mold formation.

Live bacterial cultures in yogurt act as preservatives, but as soon as microparticles of cultures begin to die off, the process of mold formation begins.

How to store yogurt to extend its shelf life?

IMPORTANT TO KNOW and REMEMBER: Proper storage is the key to extending the shelf life of foods.

• Place the yogurt in the refrigerator as soon as possible after purchase;
• From the moment the package is opened, yogurt can be stored for several days, but if the container is tightly closed in foil, it can be stored as new, as a fact of protection from moisture and other contaminants;
• For a long-term option, you can freeze yogurt for a month or two in a freezer container. This will preserve its taste, but at the same time, it will destroy a small number of bacteria.

Interesting Facts

1. Foil seals on top of containers are ideal for resealing and storing yogurt in the refrigerator!
2. The shelf life of kefir can be extended by 1-2 months if stored in a freezer. However, you may notice a different look and texture after thawing.
3. The expiration date on yogurt containers is printed approximately one month from the date it was placed on the store shelf.
4. Live bacterial cultures act as a protective preservative to prevent mold growth.
5. Yogurt is spelled this way in the United States, and Yoghurt is spelled this way in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

How You Can Use Yogurt Before It Goes Bad

You can use it as an oil for cooking a semi-finished product for a dessert dish. It goes especially well with chocolate or coffee cakes.
Use a blender to make a nutritious smoothie by whisking frozen fruit or ice with bananas, oranges, strawberries, or fruit juice.
Suitable as a filler (instead of sour cream or olive oil) for a delicious salad. Ideal as a topper in a salad or strawberry.