How To Tell If Eggnog Has Gone Bad, Because It Won't Last Forever (2024)

FAQs

How To Tell If Eggnog Has Gone Bad, Because It Won't Last Forever? ›

The Food and Drug Administration suggests consuming commercial eggnog within three to five days of opening a carton, and you should drink homemade eggnog within two to four days of making. If you're unsure whether eggnog has gone off, give it a whiff, and check for these signs: lumpy texture. spoiled milk smell.

“Eggnog made with raw, unpasteurized eggs can contain salmonella, a leading cause of food poisoning,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports.

While fresh eggnog is simple, smooth, and, well, fresh-tasting, aged eggnog is much more aggressive. The booze comes out stronger, and there are medicinal, almost minty flavors that people will pick up on—almost as if you've spiked your eggnog with an herbal liqueur, like Fernet-Branca.

The reason eggnog can age despite its dairy content is twofold. One half is that contamination of American dairy products is, thankfully, quite rare. The other is that alcohol inhibits bacterial growth. In pre-pandemic times, you may have joked that “alcohol kills everything” while sharing co*cktails in a crowded bar.

Classically, eggnog is also aged with liquor for several weeks (or months!), which sounds insane until you realize that the booze acts as both preservative and sterilizer. Very few bacteria, including salmonella, can survive in the presence of alcohol, as has been proven in lab experiments at Rockefeller University.

The Food and Drug Administration suggests consuming commercial eggnog within three to five days of opening a carton, and you should drink homemade eggnog within two to four days of making. If you're unsure whether eggnog has gone off, give it a whiff, and check for these signs: lumpy texture. spoiled milk smell.

The biggest concern with eggnog is, of course, the egg ingredients, which if consumed past expiration dates can cause foodborne illness. One big issue with eggnog is that some homemade recipes use raw eggs, which can cause salmonella when prepared improperly.

Safety. Century eggs prepared in traditional ways are generally safe to consume. However, there have been incidents of malpractice in century egg production that causes eggs to be contaminated.

“That's because all of these can compound into a difficult-to-digest situation, requiring digestive enzymes like lactase, sucrase and alcohol dehydrogenase to kick into high gear all at the same time. This could lead to gas, diarrhea, cramping or abdominal pain within 30 minutes to a few hours after drinking.”

Seal and store in fridge. You can enjoy right away or let it “age” for weeks or even months. The longer it sits, the better it gets. Before serving, make sure to shake contents for any settling that has occurred.

Can you get Salmonella from eggnog? ›

If a recipe calls for folding raw, beaten egg whites into the eggnog, use pasteurized eggs. It has not been proven that raw egg whites are free of Salmonella bacteria. If you purchase eggnog from your local grocery store, the eggnog has been prepared with pasteurized eggs. You do not need to cook it.

Consuming store-bought eggnog that has been open for more than 8 days may pose a risk of bacterial contamination. Even if it tastes fine, bacteria may be present, leading to foodborne illnesses. It's generally safer to follow the recommended storage guidelines and discard perishable items after the specified time.

A classic holiday drink, eggnog is made with milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and spices. Sometimes alcohol like rum or brandy is added for a little kick. This combination provides a rich source of fats and carbohydrates, contributing to a high calorie and sugar content.

Most plants keep producing eggnog through New Year's, and start dumping their unsold product in January. Although associated with the holidays, eggnog doesn't need to be seasonal. Dairy plants could produce small batches of eggnog off-season for hard-core nogheads, but they don't because it's not cost-effective.

Eggnog is typically made with rum, brandy or bourbon, and Brown likes to start with a combination of dark rum and cognac. But there's no need to go premium; he recommends using an affordable, high-proof VS cognac. The higher alcohol level will cut through the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients.

If you want to extend the shelf life of eggnog beyond a few days, freezing is the way to go. Frozen eggnog lasts up to six months. Beyond this period of time, the quality of the eggnog will start to drop, so your best bet is to consume it within 4-6 months.

“The most recent estimates indicate that about three out of every 10,000 eggs is positive for salmonella,” Schaffner said. “This means the risk from any individual egg is low, but of course the more eggs you combine, the higher the risk.” Pasteurization is one of the keys to avoiding salmonella poisoning from eggnog.

A sour aroma is a sign that the lactic acid bacteria in the milk and cream have spoiled. Trust your nose; if it smells like spoiled milk, it probably is. Basically, while making eggnog might be a bit of a complicated process, knowing if it is and isn't still safe to drink is pretty simple.

Eggnog is prepared using heavy cream and egg yolks. Eggnog high fat content makes it an important heartburn trigger beverage especially when alcohol is added. Houston reflux specialists recommend consuming Eggnog in moderation to enjoy a heartburn free holiday.

Egg Safety

When considering eggnog as part of your holiday festivities, it is important to remember food safety. Many eggnog recipes contain raw eggs. Raw eggs may contain a bacteria called salmonella that can cause illness. Symptoms of salmonella can include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.