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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is It Proper To Consume Unrefrigerated Milk?

Hi I bought 1% milk yesterday at the supermarket and it wasn t brought into the refrigerator, it stayed in the car overnight then the next day until 2:30pm then into a refigerator at work then when I left work brought home and refrigerated again is it okay to drink?
posted on Fri, 8 Aug 2014
Twitter Tue, 22 Dec 2015 Answered on
Twitter Fri, 8 Jan 2016 Last reviewed on
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Dietitian & Nutritionist,  's  Response
Hello and welcome to HCM,
Food safety guidelines specify that perishable foods such as milk, eggs, meat,etc should not be left unrefrigerated any longer than possible with a maximum of 2 hours unrefrigerated being the cut-off. Milk, especially, is an excellent medium for the growth of bacteria and all of the time the milk was not in the safe zone (under 41 degrees) and in the danger zone for bacterial growth (41-140 degrees) you are taking a chance at getting food poisoning. Despite putting the milk back in the refrigerator, the refrigerator will not "kill" any bacteria that have already grown there.

So, the answer to your question is, if the milk was left unrefrigerated at any point in time longer than two hours at above 41 degrees it should be thrown out to avoid the chance of food poisoning.

Have a good day! Kathryn J. Shattler, MS,RDN
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Dietitian & Nutritionist,  Rekha Sachdev Pohani's  Response
Boil the milk and then can be used. Depends upon quality of milk also. As good quality milk doesn't get spoiled easily. Also depends upon whether it was too hot or cold if hot then chances of spoilage can occur.
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Is It Proper To Consume Unrefrigerated Milk?

Hello and welcome to HCM, Food safety guidelines specify that perishable foods such as milk, eggs, meat,etc should not be left unrefrigerated any longer than possible with a maximum of 2 hours unrefrigerated being the cut-off. Milk, especially, is an excellent medium for the growth of bacteria and all of the time the milk was not in the safe zone (under 41 degrees) and in the danger zone for bacterial growth (41-140 degrees) you are taking a chance at getting food poisoning. Despite putting the milk back in the refrigerator, the refrigerator will not kill any bacteria that have already grown there. So, the answer to your question is, if the milk was left unrefrigerated at any point in time longer than two hours at above 41 degrees it should be thrown out to avoid the chance of food poisoning. Have a good day! Kathryn J. Shattler, MS,RDN