What to do if baby formula is not finished

Infant milk powder is an important nutritional food for infants. If the infant milk powder has been opened, it should be eaten as soon as possible. It must be sealed after each use to prevent the milk powder from oxidizing with the air and to prevent humid air from entering the milk powder and forming lumps, which will greatly reduce the nutritional effect of the milk powder. Let's take a look at what to do if the infant milk powder cannot be finished?

What to do if baby formula is not finished

Basically, no matter what kind of milk powder it is, it should be consumed within one month after opening. If it is well kept away from moisture and the milk powder does not clump, the shelf life of the milk powder can be slightly extended. However, babies’ stomachs are relatively fragile, so mothers who want to be on the safe side recommend that the milk powder be consumed within three weeks (21 days) after opening. If it is not finished, do not give it to the baby. Adults can eat milk powder that is more than 21 days old but less than 60 days old, but it is best not to eat milk powder that has been opened for more than two months.

After opening the milk powder, please pay attention to the storage

Usually, the milk powder that babies consume is rich in nutrition and high in protein. The rich protein and nutrition are the breeding ground for the growth and reproduction of bacteria, and are also easy to attract insects. Therefore, mothers must pay attention to the storage of milk powder after opening.

① To avoid contamination and deterioration of milk powder, special attention should be paid to the fact that milk powder should not be stored in the refrigerator after opening. Because of repeated taking out and putting in, the temperature and humidity differences inside and outside the refrigerator can easily cause baby milk powder to deliquesce, clump and deteriorate.

②After opening, milk powder should be stored at room temperature, away from light, in a dry and cool place. After each use, the plastic cap of the canned milk powder must be tightly closed, and the bag of bagged milk powder must be tied tightly. To facilitate the storage and removal of milk powder, after opening the bagged milk powder, it is best to store it in a clean milk powder can. Wipe the milk powder can with a clean, dry cotton towel before use, and do not wash it with water.

③Most infant formula milk powder packaging has clear regulations that the milk powder should be used within one month after opening. After opening, it should be discarded if it is used for more than one month. But it is worth reminding that the shelf life date on the milk powder packaging is the date when it is unopened and stored under suitable conditions. Once opened, this date cannot be used.

④ Milk powder may clump within the specified use-by date. Don’t think that everything will be fine as long as it has not expired. Under normal circumstances, baby milk powder should be loose and soft. After opening, milk powder may become damp and hygroscopic, and easily clump, due to the entry of moisture from the air or the inevitable introduction of a small amount of water droplets during the preparation process of the milk powder. If the lumps break up easily when squeezed, the quality of the milk powder will not change much. However, if the lumps are large, hard, and cannot be broken up, it means that the milk powder has deteriorated and should be discarded.