Does Sweetened Condensed Milk Go Bad?

A few years ago you bought three cans of sweetened condensed milk to make caramel for a dessert you wanted to try out.

Today, while cleaning up the pantry, you found one of the cans buried in a cabinet. Obviously, it’s already past the date on the label. Does sweetened condensed milk go bad?

You can easily find a way to use the milk, but first, you want to make sure if you can use it without making anyone ill. Fortunately for you, canned food usually lasts for years, and your sweetened condensed milk is most likely perfectly fine.

If you’d like to learn more about storage, shelf life, and going bad of sweetened condensed milk, read on.

Does Condensed Milk Go Bad?

Of course it does. While in an unopened can, it’s highly unlikely that condensed milk is going to spoil. But if the can is rusty, leaky, or puffed up, discard it.

After opening, the product retains quality for about two weeks in the fridge before its flavor starts to change and overall quality degrade.

How To Store Sweetened Condensed Milk

As long as the can of condensed milk is unopened, all it needs is a cool and dry place that’s away from heat sources. Once you open it up, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Storing sweetened condensed milk is the same as storing evaporated milk, which is its unsweetened counterpart. Or pretty much the same way you store any other canned food.

As long as the can remains unopened, you should keep it in a cool and dry area, away from sunlight or sources of heat. The area being moisture-free helps make sure the can doesn’t rust. Being in a place where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate much helps with retaining the best quality for the long term.

Once you open the can, you should keep the sweetened condensed milk always refrigerated and sealed tightly.

Since sealing an opened can on its own is impossible, there are a few options:

• pour the leftovers into an airtight container or resealable jar
• use a plastic wrap and a rubber band for a temporary seal (see my photo below)

The former is a better solution, but the latter can do the job for at least a few days.

Storing the milk in an unsealed can is a bad idea. The liquid will absorb any odors from the fridge, and you might end up with condensed milk that smells like sausage. And believe me, you don’t want that.

When it comes to homemade sweetened condensed milk, you should always store it in the fridge. That is, of course, after you cool it down after cooking.

The same thing applies to any recipes where you use condensed milk or caramel.

Can You Freeze Sweetened Condensed Milk?

If you don’t use the leftover condensed milk within a week or two, you can freeze it.

There might be some separation after thawing, and the texture might be altered slightly. Usually, that’s not the case, though.

But if you plan on cooking it to make caramel, even the slightly altered consistency shouldn’t be an issue.

When it comes to how you should freeze leftover condensed milk, you can freeze it in an airtight container. Or go with the same method you use for freezing almond milk or coconut milk.

To learn more, read our article titled “Can you freeze condensed milk?“.

How Long Does Sweetened Condensed Milk Last

Canned condensed milk lasts for months, if not years, past the printed best-by date. Once you open the tin, the leftovers keep for about two weeks in the fridge. If you need more time than that, freezing is another option.

Like with other canned products, sweetened condensed milk will last for years. Of course, there’s a best-by date on the label, but as you probably know, the best-by date is more about quality than food safety. And when it comes to cans, they retain the quality well for a long time.

To sum it up, an unopened sweetened condensed milk should keep its best quality for a year or two past the date on the label. And it should easily last for another decade if stored properly.

The quality might be somewhat worse, like the texture and taste may change a bit, but it will remain safe to use (if the can stays intact) and most likely quite good too.

Once you open the can, the leftovers won’t last long in good quality. While manufacturers like Eagle Brand say it should last for 3 to 4 days, it will probably last longer.

Since this variety of condensed milk has additional sugar, it should last at least a few days longer than its no-added-sugar counterpart. That means it should retain quality for up to two weeks.

That is if you store it in an airtight container and tightly sealed. If you leave it in the original tin, use the leftover condensed milk within the mentioned 3 to 4 days.

When it comes to homemade condensed milk, look for info on how long you can store it in the fridge in the recipe you used.

	Pantry	Fridge
Sweetened condensed milk (unopened)	Best by + 1 – 2 years
Sweetened condensed milk (opened)		Up to 2 weeks

Please note that the periods above are for the best quality only.

How To Tell If Sweetened Condensed Milk Is Bad?

First, let’s start with an unopened tin of sweetened condensed milk.

A tin is pretty much a sterile environment. That means that once it’s sealed, nothing gets in or out until you open it. If there are no bacteria that can cause this dairy product to spoil, the milk can’t go bad.

The tinning process includes steps that prevent unwanted bacteria from getting to the dairy product. Because of that, opening a can of spoiled condensed milk is almost impossible.

That’s only true for cans that were handled and stored correctly. If the can is leaky, rusted, has holes, or is puffed, throw it away. If the can is intact, the milk in it almost certainly will be too.

Now, let’s talk about opened condensed milk.

Fresh condensed milk has a creamy yellowish color and flows like chocolate syrup from a bottle (see my photos and the video below).

If the color is altered, or there are some discolorations, discard it. Same thing if it smells off or sour, or its texture is changed noticeably.

Here’s how pouring condensed milk looks like and how it’s different than pouring evaporated milk:

If everything seems fine, and you don’t store it for more than 2 to 3 weeks already, give it a taste. Based on the taste you should decide if it’s good enough to use or should be discarded.