When is sour cream bad

These recommendations apply only to sour cream that has been consistently stored in the fridge. If left at room temperature, you only have a matter of hours before bacteria rapidly multiplies.

Sour cream is the perfect environment for bacteria and mold to grow. Even when refrigerated, these will develop over time. Once sour cream does go bad, it can be dangerous to consume — hence the expiration date. Sour cream will rapidly turn bad if left out — the hotter the temperature, the faster the decline. There is a cut off of two hours for leaving sour cream sitting out at room temperature, less if the ambient temperature is warmer.

After this time, you are better off discarding it. Bacteria growth will show itself by color. If you see yellowing, that is also an indicator that your sour cream has spoiled and you should throw it away. Eating sour cream that is spoiled puts you at risk for food poisoning. You will most likely experience some sort of stomach pains, nausea, diarrhea, or sometimes a fever. If you notice anything off then I would not eat it. Sour cream is a perfect environment for growing bacteria.

You should always store your sour cream in the fridge that is at least 40 degrees. Leaving it on the counter increases the temperature of the sour cream and bacteria will start to grow. Like I said before sour cream should be kept at 40 degrees or below for the longest life. Leaving it on the counter for any length of time increases the risk for bacteria growth. The maximum you could get away with leaving it out on the counter would be about 2 hours. At that point, I would throw it away.

Your email address will not be published. There is a possibility that it stays perfectly edible for a month, but it can be risky. Plus, you can expect that its quality worsens over time. Your sour cream needs to have a sour aroma, and any odor changes are the first sign that something went bad. The spoiled product will get a characteristic unpleasant, sharp, moldy, biting, rancid, or stinky smell.

In most cases, it is a result of extra growth inside, which will affect its safety. Fresh sour cream is white, and any color change is a warning that something is wrong with it. The discolored surface that becomes yellow, pink, greenish, or blue means that bacteria and fungi started growing inside the product, making it inedible. Separation of liquids from the solid part over time is perfectly normal, and you can consume this product without any worry.

You can also use thawed sour cream even though its texture is disturbed. It is not recommended to eat it, but you can use such a product to prepare various dishes. Unfortunately, sticky sour cream or the one containing any lumps is not edible anymore, and you should throw it away as soon as possible.

Even though your sour cream looks fine, you should discard it once its taste is off and too sour, bitter, or sharp. Therefore, a container needs to go. Even though there are different opinions about keeping sour cream in the pantry, it is not recommended at all. Basically, no one can guarantee how long this product will be edible in such conditions.

The best option to store any dairy products, including sour cream, is to put them in the refrigerator. Most people place the package in the fridge door, but it is not the best solution because of temperature fluctuation.

It is always better to put it in the fridge back or on the bottom shelves at 40 F 4. As I have already mentioned, you can store your sour cream in the fridge, but it is not a practical solution. However, you can freeze it if you plan to use it to prepare dishes.

In such a case, pour it in the container or choose smaller packaging, including ice trey. It will be enough to add a frozen cube into the dish and keep cooking. If you accidentally leave sour cream on the countertop for more than two hours, always throw it away without a second thought.