Food - Drink
What It Means When Half-And-Half Doesn’t Properly Dissolve In Coffee
By MATTHEW SPINA
Whether you like your coffee black or fully done up with creamer, flavored syrup, and a caramel drizzle, we can all agree that there’s an art to making the perfect cuppa. If you prefer your joe with a splash of half-and-half, adding that dash of cream may be the best part of your day, so don't worry just yet if it doesn’t quite dissolve properly.
Sometimes milk that looks fine in the carton suddenly curdles when mixed with coffee, and while curdling is usually a sign of spoilage, your milk might be salvageable. If your milk is curdled in the carton then it's best to pour it out, but if it only curdles when mixed with coffee, it's technically safe to drink.
You may notice that this phenomenon happens more often as you get closer to its expiration date. This is because as dairy ages, it produces more lactic acid, lowering its pH level. When combined with the already acidic coffee, this is sometimes enough to push dairy to the point that it curdles, meaning the curdling is not a sign of spoilage.