For a perfectly healthy breakfast, oats are a prime meal that you should have on your breakfast table. As a result, oat yogurt has become an increasingly popular food item to add to the menu.
It is made with the traditional bacteria cultured with oat milk, which makes it a dairy-free alternative. Oat yogurt has become popular and best option to replace your traditional yogurt, but does it expire the same way?
How do you tell if oat yogurt has gone bad? Whether the oat yogurt is sealed or the container is opened, remove the cover to smell and check the current condition. If there is acidic smell, the color has changed or mold spots have developed on the surface, the oat yogurt is expired and should be thrown out.
Oat yogurt is a healthy source for digestive probiotics and a good breakfast option to get the busy morning going. The yogurt contains live and beneficial active cultures that promotional healthy intestinal environment.
However, the expiration date is short and something to be mindful of. So, it is best practice to check if oat yogurt has gone bad before diving in for a spoonful.
This article addresses everything you need to know about expired oat yogurt and how to extend the shelf life. Covered below are the answers to frequently asked questions about oat yogurt and how to tell wether it has gone bad, so get your spoon ready.
What is oat yogurt?
Oat yogurt is made out of rolled oats, water, salt, and generally a yogurt starter culture added in. These ingredients are blended well to give thick and rich texture that resembles the cow’s milk yogurt that we all love.
If you are fed up with oatmeal porridge or overnight oats every morning for breakfast, then oat yogurt is a healthy choice for you. No wonder it has become another popular plant-based breakfast choice.
For vegan people, oat yogurt is one of the quick and easy go-to choices. Serve it up as a breakfast choice and you can mix it with granola and fruits for an afternoon snack.
It can be used as a substitute for baking, topping on curry or blended into your oatmeal smoothies. Apart from this, you can even enjoy it as a pudding for dessert.
that can be eaten at anytime of day fitness freak people. So, if you want to stay fit and plant-based then, oat yogurt is one of the best choices to include in your meal plan.
Oat Yogurt Storage Tips
Whether it is small single portion or quart sized yogurt container, properly storing oat yogurt is the keys to extending its freshness. Similar to oat milk going bad, oat yogurt is also prone to spoilage.
Follow these tips to store oat yogurt to avoid any expired and discolored condition. Use the advice to avoid being faced with expired oat yogurt and always check the yogurt before consume.
If your oat yogurt has acidic smell, discolor and texture change, it means that it has gone bad. It is easy to determine the difference between normal and expired oat yogurt by smell and visual appearance, usually before tasting.
Here are need-to-know oat yogurt storage tips:
- Store oat yogurt in the refrigerator, it is not shelf stable.
- Do not put oat yogurt at room temperature, it will turn bad and smell acidic quickly.
- Avoid keeping the oat yogurt in the fridge door. The temperature is relatively higher near the opening and the oat yogurt will have a higher possibility of going bad.
- After opening the container, oat yogurt can be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Oat Yogurt Date Labels
Use by, best before, sell by, and best by are expiration date labels that manufactures include on food packaging. Although these date estimations appear as factual, there is actually no scientific facts that support the expiration on the specified date.
In fact, a most date labels placed by manufacturers are not based on exact science.
To be more truthful, date labeling is given as a guide to help consumers and retailers determine when food is at its best quality,
In general, label dating is not an exact science and does not determine the accuracy of the food safety.
Is oat yogurt shelf stable?
Oats in general have stability and you can store oatmeal for a long time under the right conditions. However, oat yogurt is a perishable food that requires refrigeration, even when it is unopened.
The store-bought sealed oat yogurt has a longer shelf compared to homemade yogurt. But you will have to check the expiry date before its usage.
Although we discussed that the date label is not precise, it helps to identify the freshness and best quality. I have had oat yogurt last weeks after the expiration date, so it is just a guideline that is not set in stone.
Oat yogurt has a shelf-life or shelf-stability that can be stored for up to 7 days once the container has been opened. Again, these are manufacturer recommendations are not concrete facts.
Overall, oat has a shelf life and you can store it for several days and even a couple weeks once it has been opened before it turns bad just like regular yogurt. So, if you are worried about its shelf life of oat yogurt, you will ultimately have to rely on your senses to look, smell and then taste before diving in for a full serving.
How long does oat yogurt last?
Oat yogurt has a lifespan that typically goes beyond the expiration and ensures to keep the yogurt in good condition.
Unopened oat yogurt can last about 2 weeks beyond the expiration date on the packaging. However, once the container has been opened the oat yogurt can be kept in the fridge for about 7 days before signs of spoilage will become noticeable.
But before eating, properly check the condition. An extra sour smell, discoloration, change in texture or moldy surface are signs of spoilage that you must be observant of.
Open the lid to look and smell your oat yogurt if it is fresh, it is fairly easy to differentiate the bad oat yogurt from a good one.
In there end, there are a few factors that influence how quickly the oat yogurt goes bad, control these and it can last even longer. Here are details for you to be aware of:
- Time: Oat yogurt is a perishable food that must remain refrigerated. The USDA recommends that perishable foods be refrigerated within 2 hours of using, however the longer the food remains out of cold storage, the faster it will begin to spoil.
- Temperature: The cultured oat yogurt should be kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal storage conditions. Circling back to time, the less time the yogurt spends outside the refrigerator the better.
Furthermore, it is recommended to keep the yogurt in the center of the fridge and not in the door. The door opens and closes frequently making it the warmest spot in the refrigerator, therefore freshness is maintained for a longer period of time when the yogurt is kept in the center cavity. - Air Exposure: The container should be airtight to help preserve freshness. If the packaging is without a lid, then the cultured product will begin to dry out and completely change in texture. If a crust forms on the top layer, then the yogurt will ultimately spoil.
Additionally, air exposure can lead to the arrival of mold spores that can overtake the surface. Once mold lands on the yogurt, spoilage is soon to follow.
How do you know if oat yogurt has expired?
The easiest way to tell if oat yogurt has expired is by using your senses. If the oat yogurt turned bad, you will know from its strong acidity smell, discolored look, texture change or if there is mold on the surface.
So, for this, you should be aware of the oat yogurt smell when it is fresh. Only after that, you can differentiate between the bad smell and the actual smell of the fresh oat yogurt.
Apart from this, you can also identify some signs and check before you eat:
- Mold: Growing mold on the surface of the oat yogurt, then you will have to discard it immediately. Mold spores are not safe to consume, therefore once it has taken hold to the yogurt it is time to throw it away.
- Foul smell: The smell will be sour and acidic if the oat yogurt turns bad. Yogurt is always slightly sour, but the bad odor will be overwhelmingly noticeable.
- Discoloration: Notice any kinds of discoloration in the oat yogurt, then you should not eat it for your safety. Dark spots in plain yogurt are a sign that something else has gotten into the food item.
Oat yogurt should not be left out at room temperature as it can increase the chances of spoilage. The longer the perishable food is left out of refrigeration, the sooner the onset of spoiling with take place.
Eating Bad Oat Yogurt
If you have an upset stomach issue, then eating expired oat yogurt can enhance your problem. Always check the freshness of the cultured oat milk before consuming.
Eating spoiled oat yogurt can easily make you sick and upset your stomach as well. So, when you see that the oat yogurt is bad and smells acid, then you should not eat the bad oat yogurt.
If you eat bad oat yogurt, you may experience problems associated with food borne illness such as:
- Bloating
- Stomach pain
- Burping
- Intestinal gas
- Acid reflux
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea
Can eating expired oat yogurt make you sick? Expired oat yogurt can be safe to eat, but if you notice any kind of molds, difference in color or foul odors, then do not to consume.
Confirm the condition of the oat yogurt with expiration date on the container, and also by using your sense before consuming, you don’t want to get an upset stomach from eating bad oat yogurt.
Expired Oat Yogurt: Final Thought
Dairy-free oat yogurt is a healthy and nutritious breakfast option that is ideal for many people. Oat yogurt is a meal prep item to quickly fuel your mind and body at any time of day, and it goes well with toppings like cereal, fruits, nuts and seeds.
However, same as any other yogurt, oat yogurt also have expiration date that cannot be avoided. Without cautious care and proper storage, the oat yogurt can expire quickly causing food borne illness resulting in unwanted symptoms.
Oat yogurt is a perishable food that must be refrigerated, even when still sealed.
Avoid putting oat yogurt in the door of the refrigerator. At the door, the temperature is relatively higher and the increased temperature may turn your oat yogurt bad even quicker, so store the yogurt in the center of the fridge for best results.
The expiration date on the sealed packaging is just a guideline and not based on fact. So, if the yogurt has gone beyond the best by date by a week or two, then chances are it is still good to eat.
The best way to determine if the oat yogurt has gone bad is by observing the surface of the yogurt. If it has mold growing or an acidic or funky smell when opening the lid of the container, then it is time to throw it out.
Simply, store the opened container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Though there are many instances when the yogurt last longer, it is recommended to look, smell and then taste to determine if it is still edible.
If oat yogurt tastes sour, then you should not eat it, and instead discard immediately. To avoid from spoiling, store oat yogurt properly in the refrigerator by keeping time, temperature and air exposure to a minimum.
The rule of thumb is after opening it, you should store it in the refrigerator immediately to prevent any kinds of spoiling. If you find any discoloration, then you should not eat it and put your health at risk.
Whether you are a conscious eater or vegan dieter, oat yogurt is a popular choice for health conscious individuals. Understand how to preserve oat yogurt, how to tell if it has gone bad and the side effect of consuming expired oat yogurt to prevent any ill effects.