Can You Freeze Milk?
In general, you can freeze any kind of food or drink except fruit juice, dairy products (milk, cheese), meat and fish. The only exception are some types of fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce and spinach which will keep indefinitely if properly stored in the refrigerator. Frozen meats may spoil within a few days due to bacteria growth but they have been known to last up to six months in the freezer.
The main reason why you cannot freeze milk is because it contains fat. Fat prevents the solidification of ice crystals and makes them less likely to form. If you want to freeze milk, use other kinds of beverages instead. For example, you could put your frozen coffee into a container of hot water and then place it back in the freezer until ready to drink.
Frozen milk can be kept for several years in the freezer. However, once the temperature drops too low, the liquid becomes hard and brittle. When you thaw it out, it will be soft again. To prevent this from happening to your frozen milk, place it in a bowl of warm water before putting it back into the freezer.
Frozen milk should not be refrozen if you change your mind about its use. Instead throw it away and start again with a new carton of milk.
Does Freezing Milk Change the Taste?
It is important to know how does freezing milk change the taste before you decide to go ahead or not. If you plan on using it for cooking, freezing will have little effect on the final product. However, if you are going to be drinking the milk, freezing it will result in a slightly altered taste.
When you freeze milk, a small amount of water is forced to separate from the rest of the liquid. Once thawed, this water will return to the milk and alter the taste. Depending on how much water was forced out of the milk during the freezing process, the milk may have an excess of water and taste watered down.
Does Freezing Milk in Plastic Bottles Change the Taste?
When freezing milk in plastic bottles there is a possibility that some of the taste may be altered. In order to prevent this from happening, leave a little space at the top of the bottle before freezing it. This will allow for expansion without ruining the seal. You can also fill milk cartons all the way up to the top as long as you freeze them right away.
Does Freezing Milk in a Carton Change the Taste?
When freezing milk in a carton, the taste will not be altered provided that the carton is completely full. Again, you may want to freeze the milk right away to prevent any changes in taste due to freezing. There is also a possibility that some of the milk may end up sitting on top of the ice cubes and become exposed to the air. This could possibly lead to a change in taste. Cover the carton with a towel or place it in another container to prevent this from happening.
How to Thaw Milk:
For all types of milk, you should never thaw it in the microwave. It may not only lead to a nasty tasting drink but it could severely burn you as well. Instead, you should always transfer the milk to a container and place it in the refrigerator to thaw for at least four hours. You can also place the container of milk in a bowl of cold water.
Change the water every 30 minutes until it has completely thawed.
Summary:
Freezing milk does not change the taste.
The only thing that can change is how watered down the milk may taste if you leave too much air in the carton or bottle before freezing it.
If you are freezing milk for drinking purposes, make sure that you leave some space at the top of the container.
Freezing in plastic bottles is a good idea as long as you leave some space at the top.
Frozen milk should never be refrozen after it has already been thawed out once.
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