If you have completed another viewing of Downton Abbey, you might be craving a robust and flavorful cup of tea.
Undoubtedly, tea is an excellent beverage to energize or relax, regardless of your location. Nevertheless, milk, a traditional addition, must be used carefully due to its tendency to curdle.
If your tea contains an acidic component like citrus oils or is too hot, milk and cream will curdle when added to it. It’s best to avoid adding dairy to citrus-based teas such as lemon or other acidic teas like hibiscus. However, less acidic teas like peppermint can be mixed with dairy as long as the temperature is not too high.
Understanding the process of curdling, identifying when dairy becomes unsafe for consumption, and being aware of the consequences of consuming curdled milk are crucial.
Further information regarding these aspects will be provided below.
Is It Ok to Drink Curdled Milk or Cream?
If you have added milk or cream to your tea and are experiencing the undesirable clumps that come with curdling, it is necessary to conduct some research.
Firstly, it is crucial to acknowledge that curdling occurs naturally with the passage of time, but it can also occur unintentionally (or intentionally, for instance, to create cheese).
Milk and cream curdle due to the production of lactic acid by good bacteria, which reduces the pH level, resulting in a sour taste and clumpy texture.
It is easy to notice when milk or cream curdles as there will be visible lumps and a sour smell, indicating that it has gone bad and should not be consumed.
It is important to inspect your milk or cream for clumps when you add it to your tea, as it may have already begun to sour.
Consuming a small amount of curdled milk is not harmful, but it may lead to gastrointestinal discomfort similar to mild food poisoning.
If dairy is exposed to acid or high heat, as previously mentioned, it will curdle involuntarily.
Curdling of milk and cream in tea does not always indicate spoilage or unsafety, but if the dairy is near its expiration date, curdling can be accelerated by heat and acid.
If your dairy did not exhibit indications of spoilage before being added to your tea, but then formed lumps when mixed with a non-acidic and moderately warm tea, it could indicate that it was nearing its expiration date.
Can You Prevent Milk From Curdling?
Milk will eventually curdle due to the production of lactic acid by bacteria, and there is no way to stop this natural process.
Lower temperatures, like those found in a fridge, can slow down the process of milk and cream curdling. On the other hand, if you leave a container of milk out on the counter overnight, it can accelerate the process (and also raise the likelihood of other bacteria forming).
Nevertheless, if you are concerned about milk curdling while incorporating it into tea or coffee, or during its utilization in cooking, there are some techniques and strategies to avoid the unintentional occurrence of the curdling process.
Add starch
To prevent curdling of milk or cream while cooking, you can add a small amount of starch such as flour or cornstarch to the pan before adding the dairy, which will help stabilize the milk emulsion.
When preparing dishes such as sauces or soups, milk and cream can serve as an effective thickener.
It is important to maintain low heat
When making a sauce with cream or milk, it is important to keep the heat low as high temperatures and boiling can initiate the curdling process.
Cream can be used as a suitable replacement for milk in cooking due to its higher fat content compared to milk.
Higher fat content serves as a stabilizing agent and prevents curdling when exposed to high temperatures during cooking.
How Do You Know if Milk or Cream Has Gone Bad?
Before using milk or cream in tea, there are simple methods to determine if it has spoiled:
Verify the expiry date
Milk can last up to 7 days beyond the expiration date if stored correctly in the refrigerator, whereas it usually lasts for only 3 days past the expiration date when unopened.
Cream can remain fresh for up to a week, and the dates mentioned on the package serve as an estimate of its shelf life and provide an indication of when it might start to spoil.
Give it a sniff
Milk and cream that have spoiled will emit a sour odor due to the acidity of the emulsion, whereas fresh milk and cream typically lack any noticeable scent.
If you detect any particular sequence of scents while smelling, it is reasonable to conclude that your dairy has spoiled.
Examine the color
Typically, milk and cream have a white color.
If you observe a yellow hue in the dairy product when poured into a transparent glass, it indicates that the curdling process has begun and the proteins have started to aggregate. In such cases, it is advisable to discard the product.
At What Temperature Will Milk Curdle?
When preparing sauces, soups, and similar dishes that require milk as an ingredient, it is likely that the milk will need to be heated.
Although the combination of milk and tea can produce a luscious and palatable outcome, the high temperature presents a difficulty that requires cautious handling.
Milk will eventually curdle when subjected to a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit or 82 degrees Celsius.
Heating the milk too quickly, simmering, or boiling can all cause curdling in milk.
Using a kitchen thermometer is the most accurate way to make sure that the temperature stays below the point where milk and cream curdle.
To make sure your milk isn’t overheated or heated too quickly without a thermometer, it’s best to maintain a medium-low heat on your stovetop.
If your pan starts to simmer too vigorously, take it off the stove and let it cool down while reducing the heat.
Why Do Milk and Cream Curdle in the Refrigerator?
Milk and cream, despite being refrigerated at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, will eventually curdle like all other dairy products.
Milk and cream are both composed of an emulsion, which consists of three elements: water, proteins, and fats.
Curdling of milk and cream in tea occurs when the pH balance of the emulsion decreases, causing the proteins to coagulate and separate from other constituents, resulting in the formation of lumps.
The natural process of curdling in milk and cream is delayed by cold temperatures, like those found in a refrigerator, as they keep the pH level stable for a longer time. However, eventually, the dairy will curdle due to the production of lactic acid by good bacteria that lowers the pH of the emulsion.
In general, milk and cream are prone to curdling over time, but when mixed with tea, the addition of heat and acidity can accelerate this process significantly.
It is important to keep a close eye on the expiration date of your dairy product to guarantee optimal quality and a pleasant drinking experience.
You can also check this video about “Why Do Milk and Cream Curdle in Tea?”
