I'm concerned about the expiry dates of the milk my small nephew is drinking. It's Foremost Omega 3.6. The Best Before date is 09119 05 TP12. Underneath it has 09017 16 102YCTT.  Can anyone tell me what this means?  

Those are encrypted expiration dates that only the "manufacturer" can decipher.

To be on the safe side: Smell and taste the milk before giving it to the little nephew. (If it smells and tastes "sour", don't give to little nephew, drink it yourself.

Or even better: As the expiration dates on bottles of Beer-Chang are clearly readable = give little nephew "Beer-Chang" and skip the milk.
Cheers.
PS: Expiration dates on milk are only meaningfull if the "refrigeration-chain" was never broken. Mind you, this is Thailand.

I would read that as best before 9th Jan 2019(09119),  the numbers underneath are more than likely when it was packaged , rest may be batch numbers or similar

36 minutes ago, swissie said:

PS: Expiration dates on milk are only meaningfull if the "refrigeration-chain" was never broken.

Milk in brick isn't refrigerated.

1 hour ago, janclaes47 said:

Milk in brick isn't refrigerated.

That's the solution: Have nephew chew on a brick.

I interpret the dates as :-

09119 - 9th November 2019 (best before date)

09017 - 9th Jan 2017 (packaging date?)

 

DD MM Y no tens of years number

it could equally be

MM DD Y

or something totally different.

 

However, that gives a shelf life of nigh on 3 years. I know UHT lasts a very long time if the seals aren't broken, but is 3 years reasonable?

Stop buying that brand and buy a brand that has an expiration date that makes sense.

I have worked as a consultant for Australian Dairies (Thai Dairy) manufacturing UHT Mali Milk here and run a milk factory manufacturing UHT milk in Malaysia both using Tetra Pak machines. "The Best Before date is 09119 05 TP12" Actually this reads 09.01.19 TP 12 refers to the Manufacturer's packing machine (Tetra Pak).

 

Don't worry about a manufacturing date. UHT milk will keep for 6 to 9 months before enzymes in the milk start to cause a drop in the milk condition although it is still drinkable. Expiry dates are really a best before date, they do not self destruct on the next day after the best before date!  As I recall, foremost were using 8 months for shelf life, so it was manufactured on 11th May 2018. My tests in our laboratory show that most UHT milk kept in good conditions can last 10 months before slight browning occurs.

 

"Underneath it has 09017 16 102YCTT": This is machine code for the Tetra Pak production lines "17.16"  is the time it was manufactured the other information refers to the individual machines etc. In the event of a defect appearing in a pack or packs after production or even later in store or by consumer, we can identify what machine or paper etc caused the problem. This assures continued quality of the product.

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by Estrada

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

I interpret the dates as :-

09119 - 9th November 2019 (best before date)

09017 - 9th Jan 2017 (packaging date?)

 

DD MM Y no tens of years number

it could equally be

MM DD Y

or something totally different.

 

However, that gives a shelf life of nigh on 3 years. I know UHT lasts a very long time if the seals aren't broken, but is 3 years reasonable?

 

 

The Best Before date is 09119 05 TP12., this one is missing a 0 , should be 09-01-19 , maybe type error from poster ?

 05 TP12. and underneath 09017 16 102YCTT. , these are  the numbers of the produce and packing line , so it any problems the factory can recall the batches.

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by terminatorchiangmai

4 minutes ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

Yes 3 years is normal for UHT , and you can easily add an extra year if you keep it cool and dark.

Another TV armchair expert ?

 

https://qz.com/740959/science-has-found-a-way-to-extend-the-shelf-life-of-cold-milk-300/

 

Ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk. Heated to at least 135ºC (275°F) for two to four seconds and stored in special packaging, UHT milk can last six months at ambient temperatures if unopened. Once opened, it should be refrigerated and treated like fresh milk.

Unlike milk in the USA, Thai milk uses the 280 degrees Farenheit pasteurization process. This process allows for mixing of milks from different farms and for a much longer shelf life of months as in the Wikipedia article.

I am from Albany, NY, USA and I will be lucky to keep milk for a week.

I think the milk in the USA is allowed the lower temperature process by bribes due to the cost of the better process, and keeping milk for longer times is a definite profits killer. Business in the USA is about profits to the shareholders, not for the buying public. If it smells good and tastes good, drink. A costless way to make milk last a little bit longer is to shake for 30 seconds daily. Milk spoils by settling.

 

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by themerg

2 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Another TV armchair expert ?

 

https://qz.com/740959/science-has-found-a-way-to-extend-the-shelf-life-of-cold-milk-300/

 

Ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk. Heated to at least 135ºC (275°F) for two to four seconds and stored in special packaging, UHT milk can last six months at ambient temperatures if unopened. Once opened, it should be refrigerated and treated like fresh milk.

Quite right, he edited his post after I posted my expert answer. I have the advantage of experience and sitting right next to Tetra Pak's Dairy Processing Handbook so I don't go by your six months at ambient temperature. Ambient temperature in Alaska is quite different to ambient temperature in the tropics. Your quote "Science has found a way" must be many years old as since the UHT process for milk has been used since 1960. The eight months used by Foremost is perfectly OK in this climate.

Goodness - and there was me thinking that UHT stood for "Unusually Horribly Tasting".

An unrelated topic.

If you as a food manufacturer put 100% juice into a drink  product, which is only 1% of that product, you are allowed by USA laws to print 100% juice on the label.

I don't know how many people have bought juice as stated and found it was orange flavored fruit drink. I have been fooled many times by this bad law which I will state is for the producers' profits through bribery of government officials and politicians.

In Thailand, you know the politicians are stealing. In the USA, the politicians deny it.

Do you know politicians in the USA bring up the topic of Campaign reform every election year, and have never passed a law against themselves in my 64 years of being alive. 

I am very happy to be living in Thailand for the rest of my life.

12 minutes ago, themerg said:

Unlike milk in the USA, Thai milk uses the 280 degrees Farenheit pasteurization process. This process allows for mixing of milks from different farms and for a much longer shelf life of months as in the Wikipedia article.

I am from Albany, NY, USA and I will be lucky to keep milk for a week.

I think the milk in the USA is allowed the lower temperature process by bribes due to the cost of the better process, and keeping milk for longer times is a definite profits killer. Business in the USA is about profits to the shareholders, not for the buying public. If it smells good and tastes good, drink. A costless way to make milk last a little bit longer is to shake for 30 seconds daily. Milk spoils by settling.

 

He was referring to Omega which is UHT, not Pasteurised milk. Thai UHT milk uses 135C (your 280Deg F). we have both UHT and Pasteurised milk manufactured to international standards. UHT milk is no good for making cappuccino.

1 hour ago, Estrada said:

He was referring to Omega which is UHT, not Pasteurised milk. Thai UHT milk uses 135C (your 280Deg F). we have both UHT and Pasteurised milk manufactured to international standards. UHT milk is no good for making cappuccino.

Hi Estrada, 

thanks for the good info.

 

I have a question. I used to drink a lot of pasteurized milk in the Netherlands, but when I drink pasteurized milk in Thailand my stomach gets upset. Whenever I'm back in the Netherlands and drink milk I have no problems. Is there something in the Thai milk that is not in the  Dutch milk? The milk here also tastes not as good as in the Netherlands (in my opinion). Furthermore, milk in the Netherlands is cheaper than in Thailand, but that's another discussion. 

Thankyou to all the posters. Very enlightening. I recall from way back a person living in a serviced apartment posting that he had become quite ill after drinking bad milk, which supposedly the servicer had not changed. I feel more relaxed about it now. Thaivisa is a mine of information. 

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by Gandtee
add new word

Put a few drops in tea or coffer. it you get small beads being formed on the surface of the liquid it is going or gone off and should not be used

If milk goes sour and even if it ends up clumpy and sour it is still edible with zero bad effects other than it is unappetizing.

1 minute ago, Kurtf said:

If milk goes sour and even if it ends up clumpy and sour it is still edible with zero bad effects other than it is unappetizing.

I dont know about you but I wouldnt trust it in a climate like Thailands.

I think it is terribly sad that Thailand is encouraging children to consume milk. My mother was a senior nurse. She instructed us kids to avoid pasteurized cow’s milk and explained the dangers of drinking it. She was well ahead of her time and going against the powerful dairy industry campaign of “Drink a pint of milk a day” that was prevalent at the time in the UK.

 

Today there is a wealth of evidence about the very serious possible harms of consuming pasteurized cow’s milk. If you’ve somehow missed this, just Google ‘milk is bad for you’ to find out for yourself.

 

Here is a partial list:

 

In observational studies both across countries and within single populations, higher dairy intake has been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer.

 

Observational cohort studies have shown higher dairy intake is linked to higher ovarian cancer risk.

 

Cow’s milk protein may play a role in triggering type 1 diabetes through a process called molecular mimicry.

 

Across countries, populations that consume more dairy have higher rates of multiple sclerosis.

 

In interventional animal experiments and human studies, dairy protein has been shown to increase IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1) levels. Increased levels of IGF-1 has now been implicated in several cancers.

 

In interventional animal experiments and human experiments dairy protein has been shown to promote increased cholesterol levels (in the human studies and animal studies) and atherosclerosis (in the animal studies).

 

The primary milk protein (casein) promotes cancer initiated by a carcinogen in experimental animal studies.

 

D-galactose has been found to be pro-inflammatory and actually is given to create animal models of aging.

 

Higher milk intake is linked to acne.

 

Milk intake has been implicated in constipation and ear infections.

 

Milk is perhaps the most common self-reported food allergen in the world. Much of the world’s population cannot adequately digest milk due to lactose intolerance (90% of Asians are lactose intolerant).

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by Antonymous

2 hours ago, Cheops said:

Hi Estrada, 

thanks for the good info.

 

I have a question. I used to drink a lot of pasteurized milk in the Netherlands, but when I drink pasteurized milk in Thailand my stomach gets upset. Whenever I'm back in the Netherlands and drink milk I have no problems. Is there something in the Thai milk that is not in the  Dutch milk? The milk here also tastes not as good as in the Netherlands (in my opinion). Furthermore, milk in the Netherlands is cheaper than in Thailand, but that's another discussion. 

I drink milk regularly here and have never had a problem, it can be in your fridge for a week to a fortnight very easily without going sour.

13 hours ago, seajae said:

I would read that as best before 9th Jan 2019(09119),  the numbers underneath are more than likely when it was packaged , rest may be batch numbers or similar

Or day 090 in 2017 date of maufacture. Day 091 2019 date of expiry. Rest is tracability info in case of recall.

4 hours ago, themerg said:

Unlike milk in the USA, Thai milk uses the 280 degrees Farenheit pasteurization process. This process allows for mixing of milks from different farms and for a much longer shelf life of months as in the Wikipedia article.

I am from Albany, NY, USA and I will be lucky to keep milk for a week.

I think the milk in the USA is allowed the lower temperature process by bribes due to the cost of the better process, and keeping milk for longer times is a definite profits killer. Business in the USA is about profits to the shareholders, not for the buying public. If it smells good and tastes good, drink. A costless way to make milk last a little bit longer is to shake for 30 seconds daily. Milk spoils by settling.

 

 

Thanks for that unfounded suspicion.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Antonymous said:

I think it is terribly sad that Thailand is encouraging children to consume milk. My mother was a senior nurse. She instructed us kids to avoid pasteurized cow’s milk and explained the dangers of drinking it. She was well ahead of her time and going against the powerful dairy industry campaign of “Drink a pint of milk a day” that was prevalent at the time in the UK.

 

Today there is a wealth of evidence about the very serious possible harms of consuming pasteurized cow’s milk. If you’ve somehow missed this, just Google ‘milk is bad for you’ to find out for yourself.

 

Here is a partial list:

 

In observational studies both across countries and within single populations, higher dairy intake has been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer.

 

Observational cohort studies have shown higher dairy intake is linked to higher ovarian cancer risk.

 

Cow’s milk protein may play a role in triggering type 1 diabetes through a process called molecular mimicry.

 

Across countries, populations that consume more dairy have higher rates of multiple sclerosis.

 

In interventional animal experiments and human studies, dairy protein has been shown to increase IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1) levels. Increased levels of IGF-1 has now been implicated in several cancers.

 

In interventional animal experiments and human experiments dairy protein has been shown to promote increased cholesterol levels (in the human studies and animal studies) and atherosclerosis (in the animal studies).

 

The primary milk protein (casein) promotes cancer initiated by a carcinogen in experimental animal studies.

 

D-galactose has been found to be pro-inflammatory and actually is given to create animal models of aging.

 

Higher milk intake is linked to acne.

 

Milk intake has been implicated in constipation and ear infections.

 

Milk is perhaps the most common self-reported food allergen in the world. Much of the world’s population cannot adequately digest milk due to lactose intolerance (90% of Asians are lactose intolerant).

You're way, way overdoing it.

 

There may be some issues with milk intake, but other lifestyle issues have much more consequences.

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by stevenl

1 hour ago, lagavulin1 said:

Or day 090 in 2017 date of maufacture. Day 091 2019 date of expiry. Rest is tracability info in case of recall.

Correct answer has been given quite a few posts ago already.

3 hours ago, Antonymous said:

Higher milk intake is linked to acne.

Milk intake has been implicated in constipation and ear infections.

I drink a lot of milk and don't have acne, constipation or ear infections.

No cancer or diabetes (yet) either.

Another 8 years and I'll probably be dead of old age, so they'd better hurry up coming.

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by BritManToo

2 hours ago, possum1931 said:

I drink milk regularly here and have never had a problem, it can be in your fridge for a week to a fortnight very easily without going sour.

Most milk sold in Thailand is fake milk made from powder (imported from China and NZ).

It should last at least 2 months in the fridge.

5 hours ago, Cheops said:

Hi Estrada, 

thanks for the good info.

 

I have a question. I used to drink a lot of pasteurized milk in the Netherlands, but when I drink pasteurized milk in Thailand my stomach gets upset. Whenever I'm back in the Netherlands and drink milk I have no problems. Is there something in the Thai milk that is not in the  Dutch milk? The milk here also tastes not as good as in the Netherlands (in my opinion). Furthermore, milk in the Netherlands is cheaper than in Thailand, but that's another discussion. 

Yes, it's made from milk powder imported from NZ and China.

There are no dairy cows producing 'end product' milk in Thailand.

Chok Chai have a few cows, but that doesn't get sold as milk.

Edited June 15, 20188 yr by BritManToo

27 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Most milk sold in Thailand is fake milk made from powder (imported from China and NZ).

It should last at least 2 months in the fridge.

There was a topic on here in Thaivisa a while ago about this not too long ago, and it was said that this was not the case. Milk like Dutch Mill etc was said to be real milk.