My cream keeps going bad!!

[Magelet]

Does anyone have any idea whats up? We buy 1 pint of straus cream each week (in glass containers). For a while now, it keeps going bad WAY too fast. For instance, this cream, we bought and opened last wednesday (Aug 12). Today is Sunday, Aug 16. The SELL BY date is Aug 23 (a full week from today). The cream is starting to taste and smell off. Admitedly, I'm sensitive to cream and milk tasting off, but what on earth is going on? We keep it in the back of the fridge, which should be coolest. We hurry it home and its still cold when it goes in the fridge. We don't have problems with anything else going bad fast (except for lettuce but I think that is due to improper storage.). If we buy milk, it lasts FAR longer than the cream, often by almost a week or more, and that even if its sell by date is nearer to the present than the cream's.

Is there something we can do to prevent this? Can I complain to the company about this? Any advice? I love cream, but throwing out half a pint a week because it went bad within 4 days of opening it, long before the sell by, doesn't work. Help! TIA

[laurelg]

Do you buy Straus milk, too? Do you buy your milk at the same store?

I'm wondering if the store's refrigeration is inadequate, and you're just reaping what they sow.

[Therese's Mommy]

Originally Posted by laurelg

Do you buy Straus milk, too? Do you buy your milk at the same store?

I'm wondering if the store's refrigeration is inadequate, and you're just reaping what they sow.

That was my thought. I used to buy milk from a place and their refrigeration must have been just a bit off because I found that it started to taste off almost right from the get go....very annoying especially when pg! I also did notice that it just didn't feel quite as cold as it should.

[Magelet]

hmmmm. I buy my milk at the same store (from the same case!), and it lasts just fine. I'll try getting it at another store, and see. It's worth paying 25-50 cents more for cream that lasts. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[Maddy123]

I had this same issue with the store brand of half and half. Their milk was fine, but the half & half tasted "off" very quickly. (My DH did not notice--I think I am especially sensitive to this, but it was definitely off.) I ended up just paying the extra $ for another brand. I haven't had any more problems. I do wonder why it happened in the first place. Anyway, it was very frustrating!

[Magelet]

I really can't/don't want to change brands. I can't go to raw milk cream (can't afford 10-12 dollars a pint) and don't want to go down to commercial cream from the mostly grassfed and pastured, non confined cream I'm currently getting. I'm hoping it's the store.

[laurelg]

If I buy milk in paper 1/2 gallons it always goes bad inordinately fast compared to plastic or glass. I often transfer it to a glass bottle to help save it. Since you're already buying in glass, though, that can't be the problem.

Pure speculation, but maybe cream has to be refrigerated at a slightly cooler temp than milk to stay good?

You might mention it to the store and see if anyone else has had an issue.