How deadly is this kefir?
September 28, 2010 11:49 AM Subscribe
I just drank some kefir that had been unrefrigerated for 4 days. Should I be worried.
Ugh, long story short I took some kefir out of a fridge that was only half closed since Friday, took a sip, thought it tasted more sour (not off, but definitely more sour) than usual, looked back in the fridge, and then noticed the fridge was basically room temperature and that all the other milk products had seriously gone bad. I only took a little sip, but should I be worried? It's Trader Joe's kefir.
Ugh, long story short I took some kefir out of a fridge that was only half closed since Friday, took a sip, thought it tasted more sour (not off, but definitely more sour) than usual, looked back in the fridge, and then noticed the fridge was basically room temperature and that all the other milk products had seriously gone bad. I only took a little sip, but should I be worried? It's Trader Joe's kefir.
I don't think you should be worried. You only had a sip. And the beautiful thing about yogurt products is that they were basically invented by humans to stop milk products from going bad. If it was more sour, it might have been the lactobacillus growing in the increased temp.
posted by emyd at 11:53 AM on September 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by emyd at 11:53 AM on September 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
Best answer: In order of likelihood:
1. You will be grossed out.
2. You will have an upset tummy.
3. You will have full-bore food poisoning.
You'll probably know what's going to happen sooner rather than later, I'd guess - every case of food poisoning I've experienced has been accompanied by a sense of IMPENDING DOOM way before the barfing.
posted by julthumbscrew at 11:54 AM on September 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
1. You will be grossed out.
2. You will have an upset tummy.
3. You will have full-bore food poisoning.
You'll probably know what's going to happen sooner rather than later, I'd guess - every case of food poisoning I've experienced has been accompanied by a sense of IMPENDING DOOM way before the barfing.
posted by julthumbscrew at 11:54 AM on September 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
You'll be totally fine. I sometimes make my own kefir and it's a matter of taste how long you let it ferment: the longer you let it sit the stronger and more sour the taste. Eventually it does go bad, of course, but if it's just a bit more sour than usual, it's not a big deal at all.
posted by Dragonness at 12:01 PM on September 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Dragonness at 12:01 PM on September 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
I bet you're fine. Check in tomorrow and let us know!
posted by molecicco at 12:06 PM on September 28, 2010
posted by molecicco at 12:06 PM on September 28, 2010
I had a sip of spoiled coffee milk at work some time ago; the end result was about two hours of obnoxious diarrhea. I don't even think I went home.
If you'd downed the whole thing, I'd expect you'd be much sicker, but a sip shouldn't hurt you if you're otherwise healthy.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:19 PM on September 28, 2010
If you'd downed the whole thing, I'd expect you'd be much sicker, but a sip shouldn't hurt you if you're otherwise healthy.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:19 PM on September 28, 2010
I once inadvertantly ate a bite of moldy yogurt. I didn't even get sick to my stomach. I vote "fine".
posted by Sara C. at 12:25 PM on September 28, 2010
posted by Sara C. at 12:25 PM on September 28, 2010
I would only be concerned about two things. One, if I was planning on leaving the house in the 3 or 4 hours after I drank it, I would have a plan as to wear I might need to get rid of it. And, two, I would be concerned that my fridge was broken.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:31 PM on September 28, 2010
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:31 PM on September 28, 2010
wear = where duh
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:31 PM on September 28, 2010
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:31 PM on September 28, 2010
You're most likely okay. The bacteria that renders yogurt so delicious tends to outcompete any potentially harmful growths.
posted by halogen at 12:33 PM on September 28, 2010
posted by halogen at 12:33 PM on September 28, 2010
Lactobacilli make lactic acid, which inhibits the growth of other potentially food-spoiling, human-poisoning bacteria. So if it wasn't moldy, in all likelihood you're probably going to be okay.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:51 PM on September 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:51 PM on September 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
I had kefir that had been left out for a day and a half, and was sick from it. YMMV, I suppose, but my stomach was quite displeased at the proceedings.
posted by hijinx at 1:56 PM on September 28, 2010
posted by hijinx at 1:56 PM on September 28, 2010
Response by poster: I SURVIVED! Not even an upset stomach. As julthumbscrew predicted though, I was grossed out.
posted by MaddyRex at 6:24 PM on September 28, 2010
posted by MaddyRex at 6:24 PM on September 28, 2010
WOO HOO! Glad to hear that the kefir did not kill you. And perversely proud of Trader Joe's. Their bread products may develop luxurious swathes of mold after two days, but damn it, their kefir can take a licking and keep on ticking!
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:39 PM on September 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:39 PM on September 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
Kefir keeps really well! I had it with me on a kayak trip unrefrigerated and it was still delicious (though more fermented) after five days, when I finished it. This was home-made from unpasteurized goat milk, so no idea how long the pasteurized commercial stuff lasts.
posted by Emanuel at 6:55 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Emanuel at 6:55 PM on September 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by valkyryn at 11:50 AM on September 28, 2010