Like all good things, milk doesn’t last forever, but new technologies are prolonging its freshness.
You may have noticed that some milk at the grocery store has different “best by” dates than others. This is thanks to a manufacturing process called extended shelf life (ESL) that extends how long milk stays fresh before it spoils.
At
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), we use the ESL process at our dairy manufacturing plants. As a leading global dairy cooperative of
family dairy farmers, we want to make sure you have more time to savor every drop of our farmers’ milk, and ESL keeps it fresh and delicious (for a little while longer, at least).
So, what is ESL milk? And what does ESL stand for?
You might wonder what makes extended shelf-life milk different from regular milk.
Essentially, it all comes down to the manufacturing process. ESL milk is regular milk that uses a combination of advanced pasteurization techniques and packaging methods that helps preserve the milk's quality.
All milk sold in stores is pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria that can make you sick, like E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella. Pasteurization simply heats the milk to a high temperature and then cools it down.
ESL is also known as ultra-pasteurization because it goes through a similar process as standard pasteurization but at a higher temperature. Called ultra-high-temperature pasteurization (UHT), the process rapidly heats milk to a super high temperature, maintains it at that temperature for a few seconds and then quickly cools it down. The ESL process goes a little further than standard pasteurization as well by treating the inside of the packaging to kill any harmful bacteria.
Extending the shelf life of milk doesn’t change its nutrition or health benefits, or the many ways you can use it. Cooking, baking or straight in a glass, it’s still the same fresh milk and is safe and delicious for the whole family to enjoy.
Benefits of extended shelf-life milk:
- It’s preservative-free. While you might think the only way to maintain a product’s freshness is to load it with additives or preservatives, that’s not true of extended shelf-life milk. Instead, the innovative manufacturing process and packaging is what keeps ESL milk fresh
- It reduces food waste. Extended shelf-life milk helps reduce food waste, making it a sustainable product. Since it stays fresh for a longer period, you're less likely to throw away spoiled milk, which means less waste
- It’s convenient. Extended shelf-life milk is a convenient option for busy households. With its extended shelf life, you can stock up on milk without worrying about it going bad too quickly
- It’s nutritious. Extended shelf-life milk has all the same nutrients as regular milk, like high-quality protein, calcium, vitamin D and more
So, how can I tell if it’s extended shelf-life milk?
The biggest give away that you’re looking at extended shelf-life milk and not regular milk is the packaging.
ESL milk typically comes in different milk packaging, like single-serving-size bottles or cartons, rather than the classic milk jug you’re used to seeing.
How to store extended shelf-life milk
Unlike regular milk, which typically lasts about a week, extended shelf-life milk can stay fresh for up to 65–90 days (before opening) when stored properly.
To get the most out of your long-life milk, it's important to store it properly. Always keep ESL milk refrigerated, even before opening, to maintain its freshness.
Once opened, consume it within 7–10 days for the best taste and quality. And remember, always check the "best by" date on the packaging to ensure you're enjoying the freshest milk possible.
Where to buy extended shelf-life milk
You can find extended shelf-life milk at your local grocery store in the dairy aisle. Look for “ultra-pasteurized” on the label, which means it’s ESL milk.
When you choose a
DFA farmer-owned brand, you’ll know the ESL milk (and many other dairy products!) you’re enjoying is high-quality, nutritious and sustainable.
Why? All DFA farmer-owners participate in our
unique quality program that ensures the milk they produce is top quality. And when it comes to the environment, DFA farmers work hard to produce
sustainably made dairy — whether that’s using sustainable farming practices, installing solar panels to power their operations or recycling water on their farms.
Check out two of the best extended shelf-life milk brands around:
DairyPure® and
TruMoo®. DairyPure offers whole and 2% ESL milk and lactose-free milk, and TruMoo is for the chocolate lovers with whole and 1% chocolate ESL milk. You can find both at select national retailers around the country.
By choosing DFA products, you’re not only enjoying high-quality, delicious ESL milk but also supporting sustainable practices that benefit the environment and future generations. So, the next time you're at the grocery store, consider picking up a carton of ESL milk.