Whipping cream can last for as long as the storage conditions favor it. It should be stored in a refrigerator when tightly closed.
For it to last for a longer period, it is good to avoid storing it on the fridge door. That is because the temperature at the door is too warm.
How long does whipped cream last after opening? Whipped cream after opening lasts for as long as 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Its freshness when refrigerated depends on its expiry date. Also, it will last up to four months in a freezer if it is frozen right away.
Whipping cream can turn sour and curdle if it stays for too long. It quickly becomes a habitat to potentially harmful bacteria.
According to FDA, all foods should be refrigerated at 40 degrees F or below. Such perishable products should not be left out of the refrigerator at 40F or more for two hours or above.
It puts it into a danger zone. If the temperature gets to 90F, the cream should not be left out in the open for more than an hour.
How Do I Know If My Whipping Cream Has Gone Bad?
Like any other dairy product, whipping cream does not have a definite shelf life after opening it. It starts losing its quality over time.
Its degradation process speeds up if not stored properly. Eventually, it becomes completely stale.
The degradation process can be slowed down. That is by practicing proper storage methods. When whipping cream is stored properly, the shelf life extends.
Once you buy a whipping cream from the supermarket, it comes with a sell-by date. Most people confuse this date for the expiry date.
The sell-by date means the date that the whipping cream should be sold. The expiry date is the date that the whipping cream expires.
You can proceed to use the whipping cream even past the sell-by date. That is if it does not show any signs of spoilage.
Generally, whipping cream should last for 2 days to 3 months. That is if stored in a refrigerator or not, open or not.
The shelf life depends on several factors like storage, packaging, or manufacturing method. It is advisable to store in airtight and in the refrigerator always.
The aerosol whipping cream cans can be stored in their original containers. Ensure that you place the cap airtight before storing it in the refrigerator.
There are several types of whipping creams with different shelf lives. The aerosol whipping cream lasts 2 to 3 weeks. that is only in the refrigerator past the date indicated on the packaging.
The homemade whipping cream lasts for a maximum of 3 days. If stored in the refrigerator, it can last for 1 to 2 weeks.
Opened aerosol whipping cream can last for three months. That is if stored in the refrigerator. It must be completely sealed before storing it.
I compiled data from forums to find the best whipped cream quality-wise, that stays fresh longer and that remains fluffy for an extended period:
| Types of Whipped Cream that stay fresh and fluffy | Percentage of total results |
|---|---|
| Whip-it, more of a chemical that is powdered. It stays fluffy but the taste is off | 7% |
| Another product is called Sweetex. Catering companies use it. It looks like whipped cream that you can add food coloring to make a fluffy cream like substance that can added to bakery goods such as cakes. | 9% |
| Some stated that you need to avoid purchasing a product in the supermarket that claims to be whipping cream. Best to stick with buying heavy cream to whip. It might not last as long as a chemical product, but the fluffy look will stay quite long. I recommend that you purchase a Hamilton Beach 6 Speed Electric Hand Mixer for whipping your cream. Click to view the details on Amazon. | 38% |
| A tactic that bakeries use is to add gelatin to whipped cream. If the cream was made from a high content fat product, the gelatin would gel the mixture which would cause the fluffiness to remain longer. | 46% |
| date derived from various cooking forums |
How To Tell If Whipping Cream Is Bad
If you want to find out whether the whipping cream is still fresh or bad, check for mold in the container and on the sides. If any, quickly discard it.
You can also look for separation and loss of volume. There could be some water at the bottom. If water is present, it means the cream is old.
That also happens to the volume. If there is a minor loss, that is normal. If the loss is noticeable, the cream could be bad.
The whipping cream should be sweet and not sour. If it tastes or smells like sour cream, it is time to throw it away.
If the whipping cream seems to be simply fine, you can go ahead and use it. it should not have stayed in the refrigerator for more than 4 to 5 days.
How Long Will Whipped Cream Last in Fridge?
Once you open your whipping cream, it will stay in the refrigerator for one or two weeks. After these two weeks, kindly discard it.
The standard pasteurized cream stays in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. That is when stored below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. the ultra-pasteurized whipping cream also stays for that period.
When storing any dairy product, there is an ideal temperature rate. It ranges between 34 degrees Fahrenheit to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.
Frozen whipping cream can last up to 3 to 4 months. The ideal refrigerating temperature for the whipping cream is 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once it is frozen, it becomes detached, and the texture becomes a bit gritty but still good to use.
Can You Get Sick from Eating Old Whipping Cream?
Eating whipping cream that is bad does not necessarily pose a health risk. It is usually more acidic than normal. It could have also lost moisture and become drier.
Some of the signs of a bad whipping cream include separation of the cream and water. It can also become flat, smell or taste sour, or off-putting.
It also loses flavor and those are just some of the reasons you need to be checking the expiry date.
In some cases, when you eat bad or old whipping cream, you can get sick.
According to World Health Organization on Food Safety, some of the symptoms of foodborne illnesses are nausea, cramps, fever, and diarrhea.
Do you suspect your whipping cream has gone bad despite the guidelines on its shelf life? Kindly do not hesitate to throw it away.
It has some probiotic effects whose value is compelling for intestinal flora regulation. It can be altered if the cream is consumed when it has gone bad.
The consumption dates mark the period in which beneficial organisms are active. As the days pass by, the number of these microorganisms decreases.
Manufacturers always recommend that the cream should be put in a cool dry place when closed. When open, it can be rancid if placed in a refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
The more proteins in a certain type of food, the more likely it is to develop pathogenic microorganisms. They develop after the expiry date indicated.
That is the main cause of foodborne illness if you give it a period of 10 to 15 days after expiration. These kinds of foodborne diseases manifest themselves fast.
It takes an hour after consuming the cream to start feeling discomfort. The symptoms I have mentioned above then follow.
They must be treated as soon as possible because they are all linked to dehydration. It is important to hydrate to replace lost fluids, electrolytes, and minerals.
After replacing the internal fluids and electrolytes, what next? You are then recommended to have a diet that is free from products that cause the issue. The diet is usually 1 or 2 days then you can resume.
How Long Does Whipped Cream Last In A Cake?
Any food lasts as long as the most perishable ingredient. In a cake, whipping cream is the most perishable ingredient. It could go bad on a cake within a day or two. The mixer that I recommend for mixing cake mix is the AXUF Hand Mixer, click here to view the current pricing on Amazon.
If the cake’s whipping cream is made of cheese frosting, it should not be kept at room temperature. Put it in a refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, maximum.
Here is a video for you watch that explains how to stabilize your whipped cream that you might be using on a cake or other items. It will hold its shape for up to 24 hours using this method:
Allow it to come up to room temperature before it is served.
Store the cake in the refrigerator always to increase the shelf life of the whipping cream. Before putting it in the refrigerator, place it on a covered cake display.
The cover is helpful. it ensures the whipping cream avoids catching different odors from the refrigerator. The temperature should range at 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
Therefore, a cake with whipping cream has to be refrigerated always!
Stabilized whipping cream can be made a few days before the required time. It will last for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer if wrapped properly.
Whipping cream retains its shape on a cake after freezing. It cannot be used for spreading or piping after that.
How Long Does Whipped Cream Last at Room Temperature?
Whipping cream only lasts for one or two hours if left unrefrigerated. It can also go bad by falling out of the whipping state. The texture changes where water and the white goo separate.
Heavy creams like whipping cream are not supposed to sit at room temperature for more than one or two hours. It should also not reach above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
If at all you must leave it out of the refrigerator for any amount of time, place it on ice. Ice will help to keep it cold for as long as possible.
If the distance between your house and the market is long, store the whipping cream in a cooler with ice. That will help to keep it cool and fresh until you get to the house.
Even the unopened containers of whipping cream need to be refrigerated all the time.
What Should I Do in Case My Whipping Cream Is Left at a Room Temperature?
Watch Time
The whipping cream can still be fresh if left at room temperature either for an hour or two. You can still put it in the refrigerator.
If left for more than two hours, there is a possibility of bacteria multiplying in unsafe numbers. Thus, the only solution is to discard the whipping cream.
Do Not Rely on Smell
To determine whether your whipping cream is still safe to use, do not rely on the smell or taste. Foodborne bacteria that cause-related illnesses hardly change the taste or smell.
How can you find out if the cream has high levels of bacteria? The solution is by performing a microbiological analysis. it is only done in a lab setting.
Only rely on the basic knowledge you know at home for the safety of you and your family. The most common symptom of foodborne illnesses is diarrhea.
Ensure that you have taken enough fluids in case you are affected by the foodborne illness. Also, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
How To Store Whipping Cream After Opening?
There are people who prefer homemade whipping cream. The fresh homemade whipping cream has a very short shelf life.
There is a way to store it since it’s already open. You need to stabilize it to keep it still fresh for longer than a day. Use the following method.
- Use powdered sugar, melted marshmallows, non-fat powdered milk, or gelatin. You can also use a commercial whipped cream stabilizer.
- To increase a bit of stability, use powdered sugar. Normally, regular sugar is used to sweeten the whipping cream.
- Besides stabilizing your homemade whipping cream, it also needs refrigeration. The store-bought aerosol whipped cream also requires it to be stored in a cool place.
- Homemade whipping cream is known to lose its quality fast. The first thing you will notice is the separation.
- Other than stabilizing the homemade whipping cream, you can also store it in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. The liquid will pour inside the bowl and the rest will be top-notch whipping cream.
- You can also leave the last 10% of the whipping cream in a container. Most of the liquid ends up there and it’s the kind you would want to dispose of.
- The use of a mixture or whisk will not help to fix the texture of the whipping cream.
- Any leftovers need to be tightly covered to avoid picking up any smells and drying out.
- The aerosol whipping cream products also need proper storage for longer shelf life. Ensure that the nozzle stays nice and clean.
- The nozzle should be rinsed thoroughly using warm water and wiped out until it is dry after use. that helps to avoid the clogging of the nozzle and growth of microbes.
According to the Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program, once the whipping cream is open, it should be kept in the refrigerator. That ensures it stays fresh for at least one or two weeks.
Final Thoughts
Freezing is not advisable when dealing with most aerosol whipping cream products. If at all there is a need, pour some from the canister and freeze that.
You can never tell for sure if the whipping cream is bad by sight or smell. If it has turned watery or has a sour smell, it’s time to throw it away.
Most importantly, remember to check the expiry date!