How Long Can Coffee Creamers Sit Out
Don’t you just love a splash of creamy goodness in your daily cup of joe, especially during a sluggishly slow morning?
If you don’t prefer having coffee crisp and black, then coffee creamers may be your saving grace.
These creamers are loved and celebrated for adding a boost of color, cream, thickness, and flavor to any freshly brewed coffee.
Have you ever left your coffee creamer sitting on the kitchen counter instead of putting it back in the fridge?
Whether it is because of the morning hustle or you are just a little late to leave for work, leaving your coffee creamer out can be a daunting moment for anyone.
You may be wondering whether or not it is safe to consume your coffee creamer after it has been sitting out for hours on end.
The amount of time you can keep your coffee creamer sitting out can depend on the brand and ingredients of the creamer itself.
If you are facing the same dilemma of whether or not you can have your next cup of joe with a splash of coffee creamer that has been sitting out, we have got you covered.
To help you determine if you can have your favorite coffee creamer that has been sitting out, here is all you need to know about how long coffee creamers can sit out.
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Do Coffee Creamers need to be refrigerated?
First things first, before learning about whether or not you can consume a coffee creamer that has been sitting, it is important to know if they need to be refrigerated.
Whether or not your coffee creamer needs to be refrigerated is based on the contents, ingredients, and the brand itself.
Believe it or not, the type or consistency of the coffee creamer has nothing to do with being refrigerated.
In fact, many dairy-based, non-dairy, vegan, or liquid coffee creamers need to be refrigerated to increase their longevity.
If not properly stored or kept in a refrigerator, they can get spoiled easily within a few hours of sitting out.
Powdered Coffee Creamers on the other hand are a different case, as these creamers do not need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Why do you need to Refrigerate your Coffee Creamers?
Believe it or not but there are several coffee creamers that do not need to be stored in the refrigerator.
However, liquid coffee creamers have a moisture content that is highly susceptible to the development of bacterial growth.
Hence these coffee creamers need to be stored in a chilled and dry place to avoid getting your coffee creamer spoiled.
Powdered Coffee creamers on the contrary can not need to be refrigerated and can be kept outside for up to 2 years.
As these Powdered Coffee Creamers do not contain any liquid or moisture content which is susceptible to bacterial infestation.
Factors to look for in a Coffee Creamer that influence its shelf life:
Coffee Creamers are a concoction of different thickeners, emulsifiers, sweeteners, flavors, and additives that give your coffee the ever-so-desired taste and creaminess.
These ingredients contribute significantly to the shelf-life of your coffee creamer and whether or not they need to be refrigerated.
To help you identify these determining factors here is a freshly brewed list of some important factors to look for that influence the coffee creamers’ shelf-life:
Packing Date:
Generally, each package of coffee creamer comes with this corresponding packing, expiration, and manufacturing date imprinted on the packet itself.
The expiration date is a blatant marker or factor that helps you determine whether or not your coffee creamer is spoiled or not.
Storing Method:
The Storing Process also contributes significantly to the shelf-life of the coffee creamer.
Coffee Creamers are to be stored in a cool and dry place without any extreme temperature or moisture.
Powdered coffee creamers can last longer in a cold and dry place even while sitting on a shelf.
Coffee Creamers that have a liquid consistency have to be stored inside a refrigerator for increased shelf-life.
Exposure to the environment:
The environment the coffee creamers are stored is equally as important as the storing method.
Both Powdered and Liquid-Based coffee creamers are to be stored far away from heat and humidity to increase their longevity.
Consistency of the Creamer:
Another factor that contributes to the shelf life of the coffee creamer is the consistency of the coffee creamer itself.
Coffee Creamers with a thicker consistency are prone to get spoiled quickly when compared to powdered coffee cream.
How Long Can Coffee Creamers Sit Out?
The question cannot be answered in a simple line as different coffee creamers incorporate varying ingredients and consistency that contribute to the shelf life.
Liquid coffee creamers have a shorter shelf life, especially when not refrigerated or stored properly and can go bad in a couple of weeks.
But, when stored properly, coffee creamers that have a liquid consistency can last up to a couple of months.
Powdered milk whiteners can last up to 6 to 12 months when stored properly in a cool and dry place.
Powdered coffee creamers, when kept and stored properly, can last up to 2 years, but it is important to look at the expiration date for health-related issues.
How can you tell if your coffee creamer has gone bad?
Identifying whether or not your coffee creamer has gone bad or not is fairly simple and can be identified with a few factors mentioned below:
1. Molds:
Determining whether or not your powdered coffee creamer has gone bad can be a difficult task for the best of us.
The most evident sign of whether or not your favorite powdered coffee creamer has gone bad is mold infestation.
Mold infestation not only alters the taste or smell of the coffee creamer but also affects the consistency and texture of the powdered coffee creamer.
If your coffee creamer has a pungent odor or is changing the texture of your coffee, then you may have to buy a whole new package on your next trip to the grocery store.
2. Sour Taste:
Another determining factor for whether or not your coffee creamer has gone bad is the sour taste of the product.
If your favorite liquid, powder, vegan, dairy, non-dairy, or even powder-based coffee creamer has a changed taste or sour taste, it is a sure sign you may have to replace the product.
3. Changed Texture:
Has your smooth or liquid coffee creamer suddenly turned into a clumpy mess?
If yes, then it is a sign for you to throw the coffee creamer away and swap it out for a new one.
4. Odor:
Coffee creamers whether they are liquid or powdered have a pungent sour or weird odor when they go bad or expire.
Just like the clumpy or chunky altered texture of the coffee creamer, the odor is another determining factor to detect whether or not your coffee creamer has spoiled.
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