Why Does Fairlife Milk Have a Longer Shelf Life Than Regular Milk?



Fairlife milk is a lactose-free dairy product. It boasts that it has 50% less sugar than normal varieties, more protein per serving, and does not get the milk from cows that are given artificial growth hormones. This milk also even lasts longer than traditional dairy milk. Here’s why — it’s pasteurized at a much higher temperature (and for less time) than other milks. You might have even more questions about what makes ultra-filtered milk different than the ordinary stuff, especially when it comes to how long it lasts.

More specifically, this high-temperature, low-time pasteurization process creates a long shelf life for the beverage when the milk is unopened. Even after opening, it typically stays good up to an impressive two weeks afterwards. This is much longer than regular dairy milk, which usually expires in around one week. Better yet, there are plenty of options for those interested, because Fairlife milk comes in four varieties: whole, 2% reduced fat, fat-free, and chocolate flavored whole milk.



How is Fairlife milk made?

In addition to this pasteurization technique, other noteworthy processes set Fairlife apart from competitors. There is a lot of processing that makes this milk different. For example, they use a unique soft filtration procedure. During this stage, the milk goes through a series of filters that do two things — concentrate protein and calcium. The other thing it does is remove most of the naturally occurring sugar inside the milk. During this manufacturing, it’s as if the milk gets separated into distinct components that allow for the removal of specific bits and enhancement of others (think protein, water, butterfat, lactose, and vitamins and minerals).

The result is milk that selectively features more of what consumers want (like protein) and less sugar. While you can always drink it by the glass, use it in the perfect scrambled eggs or as the base in this creamy bananas foster milkshake. Another yummy idea is to give your hot chocolate a makeover using Nutella to add a spin to traditional hot chocolate, and make it even richer by swapping regular milk for the Fairlife brand chocolate milk.