Butter has a longer shelf life than most other dairy products. This comes in handy for people who don’t need a lot of butter while cooking, enabling them to use the same stick over the course of several weeks. Also, butter is one of those products that keep the same expiry date regardless of whether you have opened it or not.
With all that being said, the butter will eventually go bad. And if you are in doubt about whether your butter is safe to eat, here are four ways that will help you figure it out.
Mold
The simplest way to tell if your butter is spoiled is to check for the mold. If you notice mold or black spots on the butter, don’t even give it a second thought and just throw it away.
Color
One of the first signs of butter going bad is discoloration. If the butter’s characteristic pale yellow color has turned into a more intense shade of yellow, then don’t risk it. When unsure, just slice a piece of butter with a knife. The inside and outside of the slice should be the same color. If they are not, then the butter is spoiled.
Smell
Butter will develop a rancid or sour smell when it turns bad. As a matter of fact, the butter shouldn’t smell at all, so even the slightest hint of a bad smell is a sign of spoilage.
Taste
Finally, the taste of the butter will tell you everything you need to know about its quality. If it has a sour or unusual taste, then it’s past the point of no return.
