Chemical and microbial stability of fluid milk in response to packaging and dispensing

Chemical and microbiological stability of milk packaged in one litre pouches, a two litre paperboard box (with plastic liner) or a one gallon plastic jug were compared. The cardboard box gave the greatest protection against light induced lipid oxidation while significantly higher microbial populations were found in the larger containers (gallon jug and paperboard box) than in the smaller containers (one litre pouches) after one week of storage. Microbial populations were also greater in milk whose package had been opened and dispensed from previously than from milk found in an unopened package. These microbial data would suggest that one gallon of milk would remain fresher for the consumer when packaged in multi‐unit packages than if packaged in one single container.