How long can cottage cheese casserole be stored in the refrigerator? Shelf life of cottage cheese. General recommendations for storing this product. Salmon shelf life

Natural cottage cheese is a perishable fermented milk product. Its shelf life is strictly regulated by current sanitary rules and regulations - SanPiN. The document specifies two deadlines:

72 hours for regular cottage cheese and products made from it,
5 days for heat-treated, pasteurized and packaged curd products.

Retail outlets sell mainly factory-made packs of different weights. The exact production date of the product and the expiration date are indicated on the packaging of the product from the store and do not cause problems in determining. It is much more difficult to purchase truly tasty and fresh cottage cheese and properly store it after purchase.

Storage time for cottage cheese in a household refrigerator

In a regular refrigerator, packaged cottage cheese can be kept for no more than two days, provided it is purchased on the day of production. If there is a place in the general refrigerator compartment with a temperature close to zero, then the period is extended by another 2 days.
An open pack should be eaten within a day.
You can keep the product in a low-temperature freezer for two weeks to two months, but its consistency will change after that. Data on the preservation of the taste of cottage cheese during long-term freezing have not been confirmed in practice.

To be sure of the quality of cottage cheese, it is better to buy it with a production period of no more than 48 hours. No amount of packaging or pasteurization will save the product if it was transported without observing the temperature regime, which is difficult for the buyer to track.

How to preserve homemade cottage cheese

Homemade cottage cheese, heated at the stage of curd formation, will last in the refrigerator for 48 hours if it is placed in a container with a tight lid. Market cottage cheese, even from trusted sellers, is best consumed on the same day. There is no need to risk your health even if the product looks and smells normal. Poisoning with fermented milk products has a severe course and is dangerous with complications.

In which container will cottage cheese last longer?

Containers with the ability to create a vacuum help avoid spoilage of products prone to souring and mold formation. Weighed cottage cheese can be preserved using an airtight container with excess air removed. Wrapping in foil will have a similar result. It is safest to store the product in its original sealed packaging.

Cottage cheese is one of the traditional dishes of Russian cuisine and is particularly popular among consumers.

This food product contains a large amount of useful substances and is traditionally included in a variety of diets. Especially cottage cheese and products made from it are necessary when feeding children.

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However, this tasty and healthy product belongs to the category perishable fermented milk products, therefore, like all of them, it has strict uses.

Violation of terms and standards for storing cottage cheese may lead to poisoning, including heavy ones.

You can learn about expiration dates and storage rules for champagne from ours.

From what documents can you learn about the standards?

Cottage cheese and products made from it belong to the category of perishable food products, the norms and shelf life of which are determined by three main documents:

SanPiN 2.3.2 1324-03 “Hygienic requirements for shelf life and storage conditions of food products”;
GOST 52096-2003 “Cottage cheese. Technical conditions";
GOST R 52096-008 “Cottage cheese”.

What does GOST say?

GOST 52096-2003 states that manufacturers of cottage cheese and products made from it can independently set the shelf life and shelf life of cottage cheese products.

The period during which cottage cheese retains its consumer properties depends on type of products manufactured, production technology and type of packaging.

Naturally, the deadlines set by the manufacturer cannot contradict the sanitary rules and regulations enshrined in Russian legislation.

When stored in a refrigerator

The shelf life of cottage cheese stored in the refrigerator depends on the type of packaging and whether it is opened or not.

For cottage cheese located in sealed original packaging, the shelf life is set at 48 hours if stored in a refrigerator at a temperature from 0 °C to +8 °C.

Please note that cottage cheese stored in original paper packaging may sweat. In this case, metabolic processes in curd products are significantly accelerated, and the shelf life of such cottage cheese is significantly reduced.

For open packaging Cottage cheese maximum shelf life is 24 hours when stored in a refrigerator with a temperature from 0 ° C to +8 ° C.

If the cottage cheese is placed in a plastic or enamel container for storage with a tightly closed lid, then the shelf life of such cottage cheese can be longer than in the original packaging and can reach up to 3 days.

In any case, you should pay attention to the appearance and smell of curd products, as well as the terms specified by the manufacturer. Cottage cheese that is stored for more than half of the indicated shelf life preferably heat treated.

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Differences by product type

Depending on the conditions under which the curd product is stored and the type of product, different storage periods are established:

To achieve such deadlines, the manufacturer receives a special one.

Can it be frozen?

GOST establishes the possibility of storing cottage cheese in the freezer. Such cottage cheese retains its nutritional and consumer qualities, but the product must be thawed before use.

The shelf life of frozen cottage cheese varies depending on the temperature of the freezer, the type of product and the type of packaging:

To eat frozen cottage cheese, you should put it in the refrigerator and defrost for several hours(usually 9-11 hours).

If heat treatment of the curd product is intended, then it can be defrosted at room temperature, however, the nutritional quality of such cottage cheese is sharply reduced.

How to keep outside the refrigerator?

Strict deadlines and restrictions are established for storing cottage cheese outside of refrigeration devices.

At a temperature, not exceeding +15 °С, you should cover the cottage cheese with a cloth soaked in water and store it in a dry place without exposure to sunlight for no more than one day.

Only under such conditions can cottage cheese retain its consumer qualities. In opposite cases, especially if the storage temperature is more than +15 °C, the curd product suitable for consumption within a period not exceeding several hours.

Is it possible to use the delay?

Cottage cheese poisoning can be very serious and even lead to death. Therefore, the use of suspicious cottage cheese products and cottage cheese with an expired expiration date is strictly not recommended.

Cottage cheese with an expiring shelf life can be eaten, but it must first be subjected to heat treatment.

The peculiarity of cottage cheese is that it is a living product.

It contains active microflora, various enzymes and bacteria that if storage conditions and rules are violated, they can become pathogenic, which can lead to severe poisoning.

In order to preserve your health and fully enjoy the taste and benefits of this product, you should follow the storage standards and rules established by Russian legislation and the manufacturer.

Cottage cheese and products made from it contain protein, vitamins, calcium, lactose, carbohydrates and iron.

But they are only useful and tasty fresh.

Today we will talk about how long curd products are suitable for consumption, how keep them “edible” for as long as possible, and is it possible to find a use for them after the expiration, without fear for the health of family members.

Norms

From the standpoint of the law, cottage cheese and curd products are classified as perishable. This means that after a certain time, they considered spoiled and should not be eaten.

Find out about standards that must be observed in order not to cause harm to health can be found in three documents:

GOST R 52096-2003 “Cottage cheese. Technical conditions".
TTI GOST R 52096-008 “Cottage cheese”.
San PiN 2.3.2 1324-03 “Hygienic requirements for shelf life and storage conditions.”

What does GOST say?

Clause 8.2 of GOST R 52096-2003 determines that the manufacturer can install yourself shelf life of cottage cheese and products made from it. The manufacturer is invited to decide for himself which one to indicate on the packaging, based on type and composition product. How does the storage capacity of cottage cheese affect the shelf life?

Difference in shelf life

Shelf life of all perishable products specified in San PiN 2.3.2 1324-03. The section dedicated to it clarifies how many hours or days a particular product can be stored at air temperature -2 to +4 degrees Celcius.

Remember or write down:

cottage cheese and curd products are good for 72 hours;
heat-treated cottage cheese and products – 5 days;
cottage cheese dishes (cheesecakes, dumplings, pies with cottage cheese filling) – 24 hours;
casseroles and cottage cheese casseroles – 48 hours;
baby cottage cheese – 36 hours.

The shelf life may be increased manufacturer. This acceptable in cases where it uses more advanced processing technologies or new packaging.

To obtain the right to legally indicate conditions that differ from the norms of SaNPiN, the manufacturer must contact the SES authorities, justify the possibility of extending the deadlines and present product test results, confirming the safety of the product throughout its shelf life.

For example, the shelf life of children's cottage cheese "Agusha" is 14 days.

Most likely, the period has been increased due to modern sealed packaging. Indication of longer periods may also indicate the use preservatives.

Can it be frozen?

According to the Standard Technical Instructions GOST R 52096-008, cottage cheese intended for consumption or further processing can be stored at no more than 18 degrees from 4 to 12 months. The length of time depends on the freezing method, type of packaging and storage temperature.

In retail chains at temperatures -12°С you can keep the cottage cheese for as long as you want 5 days. Note that the valuable properties of cottage cheese can only be preserved when deep frozen(– 35 °C).

It is better to defrost cottage cheese slowly, on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (10-12 hours), for baking - at room temperature (3-5 hours).

Storage rules

Buying cottage cheese and products made from it, pay attention where the product is placed, whether the packaging has been opened, whether the refrigeration equipment works well (ideally, display cases should be closed).

IN plastic bags Natural cottage cheese should not be stored: it quickly “suffocates” in them.

Some curd products can be stored in factory packaging if it closes tightly. There is a special instruction on the packaging of Agusha children's cottage cheese “cannot be stored if the package is opened”. Therefore, read the labels carefully.

Safety of home products

Everything said above applies to curd products produced industrially in accordance with GOST. And if you prefer to make homemade cottage cheese by weight?

This delicacy can be stored no more than 12 hours at a temperature of 15-20 °C. It is advisable to wrap it in clean cotton or linen cloth soaked in cold water, as was done in the old days. You can keep homemade food in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

When buying “homemade” loose cottage cheese from grannies at the market, you cannot be sure when exactly was it made, and you run the risk of receiving stale goods.

Try it evaluate the quality of cottage cheese before purchase: a fresh product should have a pleasant sour-milk smell and taste, an even color without spots or inclusions.

Is it possible to use the delay?

Poisoning spoiled dairy products can be very serious. Don't take risks- Do not eat yourself and do not give expired products to children.

It’s another matter if the deadlines are close to expiration. Heat treatment will allow you not to worry that the product is not “first fresh”. You can make many delicacies from cottage cheese products.

For example, if you beat the soft curd “Agusha” with an egg and sugar and bake it in the oven, you will get puffed casserole. It is also suitable for preparing tender dishes. pancakes.

Cottage cheese“Prostokvashino,” which housewives praise for its excellent quality, can be used for cheesecakes, spring rolls, and dumplings.

More experienced chefs can prepare delicious khachapuri, dumplings and desserts.

The only advice for using slightly expired curd products is to use them in home cosmetics. By grinding cottage cheese with (, olive - depending on skin type), you will get an excellent nourishing product for rejuvenation skin of hands and face.

Cottage cheese dishes deserve a worthy place in the diet of adults and children thanks to valuable composition. Include them in your diet to strengthen the nervous system, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and keep the body in good shape.

Considering that cottage cheese and curd ingredients spoil quickly, follow the terms and storage rules, pay attention to how they are located on sales counters. If possible, research them before purchasing. by smell and taste.

Even if the expiration date has not expired, but the cottage cheese has a bitter taste or spots, refuse from its use.

If there are few products stale, use heat treatment and cook delicious dishes. Women who are interested natural cosmetics, you will like the softening effect of curd masks for the skin.

Everyone knows about the benefits of cottage cheese, but this valuable product is perishable. A fermentation process is constantly occurring in its living substance. Dairy plants use special preservatives to prolong shelf life. In order to purchase a quality product, and so that cottage cheese does not lose its beneficial properties ahead of time, it is important to know the parameters and expiration dates of this fermented milk product.

At retail outlets, cottage cheese of varying percentages of fat content is presented, in plastic cups or packs of various weights, intended for special dietary or baby food. Buying any curd products to suit your taste today is not difficult.

However, it should be remembered that, like any other dairy product, cottage cheese is perishable. Its specific shelf life is determined by GOST, specified in SanPiN documents and depends on:

Heat treatment method. Factory-made cottage cheese, in the production of which special heat treatment technologies were used, will be stored longer.
Storage temperatures which should not exceed 2-6 °C, and for long-term storage cottage cheese the optimal temperature is -18 °C.
Packaging. The product in a vacuum container has the longest shelf life. It can reach 30 days. Cottage cheese is stored longer in a wrapper made of special foil or parchment than in a simple paper package.
Fat content. Cottage cheese with a high percentage of fat content (from 18%) can stay fresh for less time than 9% semi-fat, made from whole and skim milk, or low-fat 2-5%, made from skim milk.

The fattier the cottage cheese, the less protein, moisture and acidity it contains.

Tip of the day

When purchasing cottage cheese, pay attention to the product label, which indicates the product's release date and expiration date.

How to store at home: conditions, place, container and timing

In ancient times, in villages, cottage cheese was stored in special cellars, wrapped in white linen cloth dipped in water. Today it is difficult to imagine your life without a refrigerator:

Fresh cottage cheese can be stored in it for 2 days. In this case, the temperature should not be higher than 8 °C.
On the shelf under the freezer, the shelf life of cottage cheese increases to 4 days.
In the “freshness zone,” where the temperature is about 0 °C, the curd can be preserved for a longer time.

Do you know that…

Children's curds (Agusha, Tema, etc.), produced in convenient plastic tubs, should not be stored after opening. How long baby cottage cheese can be stored unopened is indicated on the packaging. The remaining product should not be given to the child. It’s better to finish the curd yourself or use it for baking.

Purchased in closed and open packaging

How long cottage cheese can be stored in the refrigerator also depends on the packaging or container in which it is contained:

Cottage cheese in a plastic bag can be stored for no more than 36 hours. Polyethylene does not “breathe”, and the lack of air leads to rapid deterioration of the product.
It can be stored in a plastic food container for 72 hours.
In an enamel pan with a tight-fitting lid - no more than 48 hours.
In special vacuum packaging – about 30 days.

Note to the hostess

To increase the shelf life of cottage cheese purchased in paper or plastic packaging, place it in foil, such as that used for baking.

Cottage cheese is an easily digestible product (easier to digest than whole or even fermented milk), so it is included in many diets

Hanging and home

Some consumers prefer to buy home-made cottage cheese, while others prefer factory-made cottage cheese. Everyone has the right to personal choice, but at the same time it is useful for everyone to know that a high-quality factory product, manufactured according to the regulations of GOST 31453 - 2013, and from a farm, has certain characteristics:

the consistency is soft, plastic or grainy, with the presence of small particles of milk protein;
the color is uniform, milky, with a slight fawn tint throughout the entire mass;
the low-fat product releases a small amount of curd whey;
sour milk taste;
there is no foreign odor.

It is useful to know the shelf life of cottage cheese in the refrigerator:

loose without packaging can be preserved for 24 hours;
homemade – 48 hours;
regular cottage cheese and products made from it are stored for no more than 72 hours;
pasteurized, heat-treated, stored for 5 days;
long-term shelf life - 15 days or more, provided that the packaging is not opened.

Curd mass: pros and cons

The curd mass contains proteins, vegetable fats, carbohydrates, sugar, vitamin supplements and other ingredients. It contains organic acids that have an antiseptic effect.

High-quality curd mass has a homogeneous consistency. If you find that the structure of the purchased product consists of grains, this is a product with artificial thickeners. There will be little benefit from such additives.

The shelf life of curd mass made without preservatives is 72 hours.
Packed in plastic trays and cups, the tightly sealed mass is stored for 5 to 7 days.

Do you know that…

Curd mass has nothing in common with natural cottage cheese.

Fillers (raisins, nuts, candied fruits, etc.) in cottage cheese do not affect its shelf life. For such products, the same expiration dates are established as for regular cottage cheese.

Can it be stored in the freezer?

If you buy cottage cheese for future use and intend to use it no earlier than in 7-10 days, you need to place it in the freezer.

In the freezers of industrial refrigerators, cottage cheese can be stored for up to 6 months. The initial temperature of quick freezing is -35 °C, subsequent storage occurs at a temperature of -18 °C.
At home, frozen products can be stored for up to 2 months while maintaining a constant temperature of -18 °C. Its taste will be preserved.

Note to the hostess

Do not slow freeze at temperatures below -6 °C. Although this will not affect the safety of the product, the taste of the cottage cheese will sharply deteriorate.

Many consumers are interested in whether it is possible to freeze pancakes with cottage cheese, cheesecakes and other cottage cheese products. It is quite possible to store such dishes in the freezer. However, no more than 3-4 weeks. Otherwise, the taste of the product may deteriorate, although its nutritional properties will remain intact.

How to freeze and defrost correctly

For freezing to be effective, you should follow simple rules:

Freeze freshly purchased food.
The temperature in the freezer should not be less than -18 °C.
To avoid chapping, place the product in a hermetically sealed container or tight bag.
Package the cottage cheese in single serving portions.
For convenience, mark the start date of freezing on the packaging.

It is better to defrost the cottage cheese gradually, placing it on the middle shelf of the refrigerator. This will take several hours. The process will speed up if you leave the frozen briquette indoors at room temperature. If you urgently need to defrost a product, a microwave will help.

Dishes made from cottage cheese can be boiled, fried, baked; it is good with both sweet and salty tastes

How to store without refrigeration

It is very difficult to store dairy products without refrigeration. If you can extend it by boiling, and wrapping the butter in parchment soaked in salted water, then these methods do not work with cottage cheese.

Still, there are ways in which, if absolutely necessary, you can extend the viability of this product:

Place the cottage cheese in a clean and dry glass jar, compacting it as tightly as possible so that air does not penetrate. Cover the container with gauze soaked in salt water. Place in a cool place, protected from light.
In the past, this method was also used: homemade cottage cheese was placed in an enamel pan or a special barrel. The walls of the container were pre-treated with hot steam, and the bottom was sprinkled with table salt. The top of the product was covered with a cloth soaked in saline solution and closed with a lid on which oppression was placed.

However, even at a temperature lower than room temperature, pathogenic bacteria begin to grow in the cottage cheese, while lactic acid bacteria are inhibited, which leads to spoilage of the product.

Tip of the day

Buy the product in quantities in which you can use it for food or for making dishes within the next 24 hours.

How to recognize a delay and what to do about it

It is very important to recognize in time that the product is expired and can no longer be stored. Obvious signs of expired cottage cheese are:

sharp, pronounced sour odor;
bitter taste;
“loose” consistency (part of the mass has become liquid, the other has dried);
grayish-yellow color;
the appearance of mold spots.

Some housewives use slightly sour cottage cheese to make casseroles, cheesecakes, or in home cosmetology (recipe in the video below). Of course, we are only talking about a slightly expired product.

It is important to know!

If the cottage cheese tastes bitter, a musty smell has appeared, and even more so mold has appeared - under no circumstances should it be eaten.

Every housewife should know the basic rules for storing cottage cheese in the refrigerator or in some unforeseen situation using old grandmother's methods. How to freeze and defrost it correctly, recognize when it’s expired and what to do about it. Then this valuable dairy product will only benefit you.

Store correctly and be healthy!

All fermented milk products tend to spoil quickly. In products treated with preservatives, the process of reproduction of starter bacteria does not stop, that is, the fermentation process continues. As a result, the shelf life of absolutely all dairy products is short. In order for them to last longer and remain just as useful, you need to know some rules. Cottage cheese will definitely last better and longer in the refrigerator. For example, the shelf life of cottage cheese in the refrigerator depends on how the cottage cheese was stored before it entered your refrigerator, whether there are preservatives in the product, and whether GOST standards were observed during the production of cottage cheese. Proper storage of cottage cheese in the refrigerator is not a tricky task, but there are mandatory requirements. Let's figure out what the conditions and shelf life of cottage cheese are.

Even the most useful and safe product can cause poisoning if the rules for its storage are violated. Not fresh cottage cheese can cause indigestion, and even worse, cause dysbacteriosis and even food poisoning. Therefore, it is very important to understand this and know how long you can store it and under what conditions without fear for your health and your loved ones.

Natural cottage cheese is a fermented milk product that is highly perishable. The shelf life of cottage cheese is regulated by sanitary standards. Ideally, the time frame is quite long, but you can’t always be sure that you bought completely fresh cottage cheese. Therefore, it is better to know about the maximum deadlines, but not to push it to the deadline.

Cottage cheese is stored in the refrigerator from 2 to 14 days, depending on packaging and pre-treatment.

Dependence of storage time and temperature on the type of cottage cheese
Type of cottage cheese	storage temperature	shelf life
Pasteurized (opened)	0°C – + 3°C	1 day
Homemade cottage cheese	0°C – + 3°C	2 days
Long-term storage (only in sealed packaging)	0°C – + 6°C	14 days
Pasteurized (in closed packaging)	0°C – + 6°C	5-7 days

Cottage cheese storage options

A few tips will help you preserve the freshness and benefits of this product in the refrigerator, but please note that they are not equally effective. Let's look at this issue in more detail.

Open storage, that is, in a plate or container (in a container in which the product can be served on the table).

This method is used very often, since amateurs do not allow the product to spoil - it is quickly consumed at breakfast or when preparing other dishes. It is convenient and practical to hold the product in such a container. Any family member who wants to enjoy cottage cheese can set aside the required portion for themselves at any time. How long can you keep the dishes open? – no more than two days.

In a plastic bag(mostly this is how “fresh” or loose cottage cheese is sold). Many purchased cottage cheese do not unpack immediately, but leave it in the bag. In this form, the cottage cheese will not last long. Cottage cheese purchased in the morning can be considered conditionally good in the evening, since it simply “sweats” in cellophane. Therefore, after a few hours a specific musty smell appears. The product is then only suitable for baking. Without heat treatment, in its raw form, the use of such cottage cheese is strictly not recommended.

In an enamel pan or bowl The cottage cheese is preserved perfectly. In this form, it can be stored for four to five days, and is considered fresh within two days after purchase (this is only if the product was really fresh at the time of purchase). Many cottage cheese lovers recommend covering the enamel bowl with a tight lid and putting a few pieces of refined sugar into the bowl. Sugar absorbs moisture from the product, which stops the formation of musty odors.

All these options do not allow you to significantly increase the shelf life of cottage cheese or maintain its freshness. But there is a trick, by resorting to which you can achieve an increase in terms of up to a month. Storing cottage cheese in the freezer (freezing) and in the refrigerator. Let's look at this option in more detail.

Is it possible to freeze cottage cheese?

You can freeze cottage cheese if you do not plan to prepare a dish using this product in the near future. But this procedure must be carried out with knowledge of certain rules. In this case, the shelf life of the cottage cheese will even reach several months.

Thawed cottage cheese tastes the same as before freezing, but there may still be changes in consistency. This cottage cheese will not be crumbly like it was before freezing. It will look like a curd mass.

Cottage cheese is a very delicate, “living” product. It has a pleasant milky taste, delicate aroma, dense creamy grain texture. But it should be taken into account that all these “charms” will be lost if you decide to store the cottage cheese for a long time and use the freezer for this. Also, most of the beneficial substances that the fresh product is rich in will “disappear.”

The longer a product is stored in the freezer, the more valuable and important microelements and vitamins are lost. If the cottage cheese is prepared and the process of “quick freezing” is carried out, then there will be minimal “losses” in quality and such a product can be given in its pure form even to children.

Important! You should not freeze cottage cheese in its original packaging. In factory foil, the texture of the cottage cheese will suffer greatly. Cottage cheese bought in a plastic bag will have an unappetizing, gray tint and musty smell.

But not all dairy products are critical to frozen storage. Butter can be stored in the freezer for a long time without any problems. You can read about this.

Shelf life of cottage cheese in the freezer

How long cottage cheese will be stored in the freezer depends directly on the temperature in the chamber:

at a temperature of -2 °C you can store cottage cheese for a whole week without fear of spoilage of the product;
from -12 to -18 °C, the cottage cheese can last for two weeks;
at -25 °C the product will remain fresh for up to 20 days;
when deep frozen (-35 °C), the cottage cheese will “stay” intact for up to a month.

Important to remember! Full-fat cottage cheese will be preserved in the freezer with minimal loss of quality, without significantly changing its consistency. But the dietary analogue becomes very crumbly and dry.

Freezing technologies

It’s decided that you can freeze it. Now let's look at the nuances of the practical issues of this process. The procedure will be something like this:

Divide the product into portions if you purchased a lot of product. This is done to ensure that each curd piece is completely used after thawing.
If the consistency of the cottage cheese has large lumps, you should crumble them so that they freeze faster, and when defrosted, thaw faster.
It is better to store cottage cheese in the freezer in a glass or ceramic container with a tight-fitting lid. There is no need to fill it all the way to the top, since the moisture will increase in volume during freezing.
Be sure to put a date (put it on the lid with a marker or include a signed piece of paper) so as not to miss the expiration date.

For storing cottage cheese in the freezer, granular, but not paste-like cottage cheese is best suited. This issue has been addressed previously.

Proper defrosting of cottage cheese

No matter how long the cottage cheese lies in the freezer, the reverse process (defrosting) will take much longer. To return cottage cheese from a frozen state to an “edible” state, you don’t need to do much:

Transfer the package with the preparation from the freezer to any shelf of the refrigerator and leave for 10-12 hours.
After that, making sure that the cottage cheese has completely thawed, strain the separated whey through cheesecloth.

Now, defrosted cottage cheese can be used to prepare your favorite dishes or consumed “live.”

Attention! Under no circumstances should you use heat treatment during defrosting! Exposure to even room temperature will cause product spoilage.

Shelf life of homemade cottage cheese in the refrigerator

Ambiguous answer about the shelf life of homemade cottage cheese in the refrigerator. It all depends on the time period, which depends on how quickly the cottage cheese gets into the consumer’s refrigerator. A natural reasoning would be that the less time passes from the moment of production (production) of cottage cheese to placing it in the refrigerator, the longer it will remain fresh and edible.

The place for cottage cheese in the refrigerator is on the top shelf, near the freezer.

Homemade cottage cheese can be safely stored on a shelf under the freezer for up to 5 days. But in vacuum packaging (packed immediately after production), the storage time of cottage cheese can already extend up to 30 days.

Another option for extending the shelf life of homemade cottage cheese is to place it in a special chamber where the temperature is kept at a level from 0 to +1 o C with minimal humidity. But such a camera may not be in every refrigerator.

We remember that all storage conditions must be observed:

Location in the refrigerator. Closer to the freezer, the air is colder.
Low humidity. The drier the product, the better, the less reason for the development of bacteria.
Correct container. A hermetically sealed container made of glass or plastic is ideal.

Shelf life of loose cottage cheese

Many people prefer to buy only home-made cottage cheese, believing that only such cottage cheese contains necessary and useful elements. Others buy only factory-made cottage cheese. We all have the right to choose, but we need to know that both a high-quality factory product, manufactured according to the regulations of GOST 31453 - 2013, and cottage cheese from a farm, have certain characteristics:

the consistency is soft, plastic, with the presence of small particles of milk protein;
the color is uniform, milky, with a slight fawn tint throughout the entire mass;
the low-fat product releases a small amount of curd whey;
sour milk taste;
there is no foreign odor.

The shelf life of loose cottage cheese without packaging is 24 hours, but do not forget that cottage cheese will not be stored longer in a plastic bag (the kind of container most often used on the market).