The Issue Trader Joe's Shoppers Have With The Chain's Milk

Trader Joe's is the place to go for tasty snacks to satisfy any cravings, but it may not always be the ideal store to get your regular grocery items from. While it may be a budget-friendly shopping destination, some of its products have a bad reputation amongst shoppers. Specifically, Trader Joe's milk seems to expire relatively quicker than milk from other stores. Shoppers have found a funky smell, thick consistency, and an overall strange taste in their milk from the chain as well. There have been many instances of other items, such as Trader Joe's produce, going bad too quickly, and milk is another that has made the list on many occasions. 

In general, milk that has been opened can last up to two to three days past its expiration date, but shoppers have found that Trader Joe's milk expires way beforehand. In a Reddit thread discussing the milk, one user wrote, "Bought a gallon two weeks in a row, and both have gone sour within a week." Others have found that their milk began to separate just after a few days of opening and well before the expiry date listed on the jug. Some shoppers have also observed that most of the store's refrigerated products spoil just as quick. If you're looking to buy dairy milk, Trader Joe's seems like a place you might want to avoid. 

While some believe the spoilage could be due to improper storage from temperature changes in the fridge or placement in the door rather than the shelf, there's no definite reason as to why Trader Joe's milk spoils so fast. Shoppers claim that some Trader Joe's milk is not ultra-pasteurized like other brands, and this could contribute to the rotting. Ultra-pasteurized milk is heated at an extremely high temperature for a shorter time, resulting in a longer shelf life, whereas pasteurized milk is heated at a lower temperature for longer. The latter process doesn't kill as much bacteria as ultra-pasteurizing does, leading to a shorter shelf life. That being said, it's worth noting that Trader Joe's does have ultra-filtered milk options too, like the organic milk A2/A2.

There's no exact evidence that can explain the Trader Joe's milk situation, but it may be best to purchase other milk options from the store or buy it elsewhere. Stores like Walmart have better milk prices compared to Trader Joe's and a lot more brands to choose from as well. Hopefully the chain addresses the problem one day, but till then, use up your TJ's milk quickly or keep it out of your cart entirely for the foreseeable future.