How Do You Know When Sour Cream Goes Bad?
You might wonder how anything called “sour” cream could go bad. Isn’t it already there? The answer lies in knowing what sour cream actually is. Sour cream is heavy cream that has been cultured by the addition of specific ingredients under specific conditions. This is done to give sour cream its characteristic flavor and consistency. All you need to watch for are changes to that delightful creamy and tangy state. Check the color. Your sour cream should still have its creamy white color. If it has started to darken at all, even to pale yellow, it is past its prime. Throw it out. Check the appearance. You want white cream and a creamy, smooth consistency. Fur or green stuff is a big stop sign. So is separation, where the proteins and fats have started to separate. Fresh sour cream is sometimes quite firm and needs to be stirred to give it a creamy texture, but spoiled sour cream is different. It isn’t firm, it’s separated into layers, and it frequently will have acquired a yellowish or li
