Keeping Milk Fresh

[impavide]

I'm usually quite responsible about keeping my fridge clean, but lately my milk has been going sour in less than a week and without expiration. I've been cooking Middle Eastern dishes with more yogurt and cheeses lately. Can other things being stored in my fridge affect how long my milk keeps? Am I just going through a bad round of milk the past few weeks? Help!

[BethR]

I've never heard of other diary items stored in the fridge causing milk to sour more quickly. Two things you may want to check -- did your temperature setting knob get moved to a warmer setting accidentally, or could the thermostat on your fridge be going bad? Also, has it been the same brand of milk? I've had several going-sour-before-the-expiration date experiences with the store-brand milk of one of the groceries near me. If I ever find myself picking up dairy products from that store now, I always make sure not to buy the store brand. Good Luck!

Beth

[venus]

Weird factoid:

Spilled pickle juice or vinegars in your fridge can make your milk spoil. Maybe this is why? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

[Gail]

Is the milk the only thing which seems affected? Or are other items wilting or going bad prematurely? Do things feel cold? Beth's concerns regarding your thermostat may be right on, or could you also have a problem with the door not sealing?

Also, beware that if your fridge is really heavily loaded, you may need to adjust the temperature downward, otherwise things don't seem to stay as cold.