Given the sweet taste of an iced Frappuccino drink, it is normal to want it to last longer. Read on to find out how long do Frappuccinos last.
So you want to prepare your homemade frappuccino ahead of time but you are not sure how much to make. Ideally, you want it in bulk so that it will last a long time.
The very first step before preparing the frappuccino as described in the recipe here is to understand how long a frappuccino drink can last.
How long do frappuccinos last? To start, the shelf life of prepackaged frappuccinos and homemade ones may differ slightly.
If unopened, a bottle of Starbucks Frappuccino can last for a long time at room temperature. However, once you open it, it is recommended you place it in the fridge and consume it within the shortest time possible within the indicated expiry period.
They also have instant frappuccinos packed in a plastic container, which as the name suggests need to be consumed quickly after purchasing or serving.
As for a homemade Frappuccino, you might have to place your drink in the freezer for it to last as long as a Starbucks bottled frappuccino.
In the freezer, homemade frappuccino can also as long as one month. In addition, they are not affected by whether the packaging is still sealed.
Keep reading to find out more about the expiration dates of bottled Frappuccino, how to tell if one has expired, their expected shelf life, effects of consuming expired milk and coffee drinks, drinks you should not consume if expired, and other related iced coffee issues.
Learn more about how long coffee lasts in the freezer.
- How Long Do Frappuccinos Last? Shelf Life Of Bottled Vs. Homemade Frappuccino
- What About The Indicated Expiration Date? (Bottled Frappucino)
- How To Tell An Expired Frappuccino
- The Shelf Life Of A Handmade Frappuccino
- Effects Of Taking Expired Milk Products
- Effects Of Consuming Expired Coffee
- Drinks You Should Not Consume When Expired
- The Last Word In How Long Frappuccinos Last
- FAQs About How long Do Frappuccinos Last
How Long Do Frappuccinos Last? Shelf Life Of Bottled Vs. Homemade Frappuccino
As mentioned above the shelf life of a bottled frappuccino and homemade frappuccino differ greatly. Once opened, a Starbucks instant frappuccino needs to be consumed immediately. If you wait too long, the drink is likely to taste odd and be separated, with the milk content floating on top.
First, a bottled frappuccino should not be placed in the freezer. This is because when in the freezer it tends to separate, forming a layer of floating milk cream on top of the coffee. In case you have already frozen your frappe, consider using a straw to swirl the drink before consuming it.
Second, a bottled frappuccino can last longer without being placed in the freezer, unlike the homemade frappuccino. The reason for the bottled kind lasting longer is that its milk has been super-heated to kill most of the pathogens, therefore preventing the milk from going bad quickly.
Bottom-line, frappuccinos can last for a long time if not opened. However, once you open them take the shortest time possible to consume them.
What About The Indicated Expiration Date? (Bottled Frappucino)
A bottle of frappuccino usually has a “best if used by” indicated somewhere on the container just like any other bottled product. This date is more of an industry-required standard than an indication of when the drink is no longer safe for consumption.
Does it mean you can consume the drink past the expiration date? Although it may sound out of the ordinary, the truth is yes you can.
Many people have reported consuming unopened frappuccino long after the expiration date. Most people consume them unaware they’ve expired and do not report any health complications.
The purpose of the expiration date is to guide you on the safest timeline for consuming the product. For instance, you probably shouldn’t consume a product one year after its best before date, but you can likely consume it if the period is one month after the indicated date.
The only effect of opening and consuming a bottle of frappuccino after the expiration date is that the drink may have lost its flavor over time.
Please take note that drinking your Frappuccino past the expiration date is only applicable for unopened drinks.
How To Tell An Expired Frappuccino
Now that we have validated drinking your frappuccino past the indicated best before date, how do you tell an expired one? Do not worry we have done in-depth research to answer all your questions.
First, one of the easiest ways to tell expired frappuccino is from the taste. If the taste is far from good or normal, dispose of the drink immediately.
If the drink looks chunky and separates with a layer of cream floating, this is a sign it’s expired and you should discard it.
If your drink has a foul smell and when sipping, it tastes like coagulated milk curd, get rid of it lest you make yourself sick.
Top of the list, if your gut suggests that the drink is expired, and it has any of the above characteristics, we recommend you make peace with having to throw it away.
The Shelf Life Of A Handmade Frappuccino
As mentioned above the shelf life for bottled frappuccinos and handmade frappuccinos differ widely.
It is costly and almost impossible to prepare a glass of Frappuccino at home. The ideal recipe results in at least 8-10 glasses of Frappuccino, which you cannot drink by yourself in one sitting. So what should you do?
Easy! Place your frappuccino in a mason jar and freeze. I know you are wondering if it will separate. Here is the thing; homemade Frappuccino is not made of ultra-pasteurized milk, only normal milk. The reason bottles frappuccino separates when frozen is the UHT milk.
Even if it is not indicated in your recipe feel free to freeze your iced drink. The good news is, homemade Frappuccino can stay in the freezer for up to 1 month without going bad. How cool is that?
If you need to drink your frozen Frappuccino, just pour some into your mug and let it thaw in a warm place. It is recommended that you allow your drink to thaw as you shower or get busy with other routines.
By the time you are done, your Frappuccino is ready for consumption. Use a straw to stir the drink and enjoy.
If you purchase a frappuccino in a coffee shop your barista will likely make it from powdered cold brew coffee, milk, syrup, ice, and whipped cream. These frappuccinos should be drunk within 3 or 4 hours. If you ordered a venti and can’t finish it, refrigerate it overnight and drink it within 24 hours.
Effects Of Taking Expired Milk Products
Amongst the ingredients of a Frappuccino is milk. Let’s look at the health effects of consuming expired milk.
Beyond the unpleasant smell of spoilt milk, consuming it may lead to food poisoning. In turn, food poisoning may result in stomach pains, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. So you want to make sure that you completely stay away from spoilt milk.
However, food poisoning can only occur if you consume spoilt milk in large quantities. In addition, this does not dismiss other uses of spoilt milk.
Want to avoid this problem? Read our milk frothing guide.
Effects Of Consuming Expired Coffee
Coffee is another key ingredient of Frappuccino. Ground coffee lasts for a long time and has never registered any health risks if used years later. However, there are other notable differences between a fresh coffee drink and an expired coffee drink.
For an expired drink, the taste is stale and tends to be bitter. The coffee also loses its strong distinct smell when it gets old.
Moreover, the levels of caffeine in the drink are less given that the coffee grounds have been exposed for a long time. They tend to lose their oils, flavors, caffeine, and other flavor compounds, rendering the coffee flat.
Therefore, if you can handle the above-mentioned effects of expired coffee, then you do not have to worry about any health risks.
It is recommended that unopened coffee grounds can last up to 6 months while open grounds can last up to 3 months.
Related Article: Best Way To Store Coffee Beans At Home
Drinks You Should Not Consume When Expired
While it possible for you to brew expired coffee, it is not recommended for you to consume just any other expired drink. Here is a list of drinks you should shun when expired
Vegetable Juice
Juice made out of pure vegetables is likely to be contaminated once it expires. This is unlike fruit juice that tends to be acidic, therefore protecting against foodborne pathogens. Therefore, once your vegetable juice expires, get rid of it.
Drinks Preserved Through Cold Pasteurization
Unlike UHT technology, cold pasteurization is where intense pressure is applied to already bottled beverages. This is done to kill pathogens and extend the shelf life of the drink. However, it’s not as efficient as thermal pasteurization, so the drinks have a shorter shelf life.
It is therefore recommended you pay attention to expiration dates and dispose of shelf-stable beverages once they expire.
Poorly Stored Drinks
If a drink has been stored under poor conditions, avoid consuming it. For instance, if the beverage is being refrigerated always check the fridge temperature. The ideal temperature to refrigerate a normal drink is 38 – 40 degrees.
This also means you should monitor your fridge to make sure it is operating under correct temperatures if you have your drink stored.
The Last Word In How Long Frappuccinos Last
There is no quick answer to how long a drink will last. It depends on whether it’s homemade, if it’s been made with UHT milk, or if it’s a Starbucks coffee in a sterilized glass bottle.
Each of these things will affect how long the drink lasts. You should always err on the side of caution when storing and consuming drinks: If the drink looks or smells off, toss it in the trash and get yourself something fresh.
As long as you follow this basic rule, you should never have any problems with the life of your drinks, whether it’s a Starbucks mocha frappuccino or a cup of fresh, hot coffee!
FAQs About How long Do Frappuccinos Last
Why don’t Starbucks drinks containing milk require refrigeration?
Blended beverages that contain milk like Starbucks Frappuccino bottles use UHT milk, which does not require pasteurization. UHT stands for Ultra- High – Temperature Processing.
This technology subjects normal milk to extremely high temperatures to kill pathogens that would cause the milk to go bad. The milk is then stored in hermetically sealed containers to prevent air from getting in. UHT milk can last up to 9 months without being refrigerated, unlike ordinary milk, which can only last 2 weeks under refrigeration
Due to the long shelf life of UHT milk (also called ultra-pasteurized milk), it has created room for milk to be transported across borders and be consumed. It is due to the UHT technology that most Starbucks bottled beverages don’t need to be placed in a fridge.
Does the UHT milk differ in taste from normal milk?
This is one of the common issues raised when it comes to UHT milk. Having tasted both types of milk, I did not notice any difference in their taste.
This unpopular opinion may be regarded as stereotyping since it does not have any scientific proof. Besides UHT milk is normal milk exposed to extremely high temperatures not some alien type of milk.
How long do frappuccinos last in the fridge?
Frappuccinos should be drunk 3 to 4 hours after you bought them. If you put them in a fridge, you can refrigerate them overnight, but make sure to drink them within 24 hours.
