Sour cream past its "Use by..." date. How long is reasonable? Is there odor?

[Ilsa]

I am not a big fan of sour cream; I don't like the flavor on baked potatoes, etc. But sometimes a recipe like quiche calls for it. How longs it really good for?

[Denninmi]

1. If the seal on the carton isn't broken, at least a month.

Yogurt and sour cream both easily keep a month past the "use by" date in my fridge as long as I haven't opened the safety/quality seal. Once the seal is opened, I'd say 7 to 10 days.

The good news is, when it goes bad, it's usually either yeasts or molds -- nothing that will poison anyone in a major way (unless they have mold allergies?). If it smells funny or becomes really watery, or looks funny, has anything growing in or on it, probably time to say "adios, amigo" and dump it.

If it's jut for baking, you CAN freeze it for later use. It will separate, but when you use it, just stir it up and add about 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch per cup, and it will be fine.

[grasswire]

2. unless there's mold, it's fine in my opinion

and if it's going to be baked in something, then definitely no problem.

[cbayer]

3. Agree. And sometimes I just take the mold off the top.

:hi:

[trud]

4. yogurt

I'm trying to remember how "expired" the yogurt was that I once retrieved from the back of the frig and ate with no problems. Possibly a year...I figured, it's like cheese, right? Or :-) maybe not.

[Warpy]

5. Cultured milk products can be good up to a month after the sell by date

but they do get markedly more sour as more of the lactose is converted. The sell by date is to judge the period of optimum quality.

As long as it hasn't changed color, there is no mold in the container, and it smells like sour cream, go ahead and use it.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. I depend more on the look and smell than I do on the use by date.

Even if it has separated, I just stir it up and check it out. If the color has changed or if it just really seems to be "off" in any way, I chuck it and don't use it. I rarely, if ever, look at the carton date.

[woofless]

7. I agree with Granny,

except I pour off the whey, thus making the sour cream more cheese like.