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Storage guides · Product label guide

Shelf-stable milk: what UHT means, what it adds to the label, and the butter freezer question.

Updated

How the FDA defines ultra-pasteurized milk, why boxed milk can sit in the pantry unopened, the power-outage rule for milk and butter, and which milk labels list gums or vitamins.

Quick answer

Shelf-stable milk is milk heated to ultra-high temperature and packed so it can sit unopened in the pantry. The FDA’s Pasteurized Milk Ordinance defines ultra-pasteurized as heated to at least 280 F (138 C) for at least 2 seconds, and requires “keep refrigerated after opening” on aseptically processed low-acid milk. Once opened, treat it like any other milk.

Ultra-pasteurized (FDA)
280 F (138 C) for 2 seconds or more
After opening
Keep refrigerated (PMO)
Power outage
Discard milk, keep butter (FoodSafety.gov)
Milk shelf in our catalog
32 current labels

01 · A closer look

What ultra-pasteurized means.

The FDA’s Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance defines ultra-pasteurized as heat treatment at or above 280 F (138 C) for at least 2 seconds, before or after packaging. 21 CFR 131.3 uses the same temperature and time. Aseptically processed and packaged milk is covered as its own category: milk is sterilized and sealed in a sterile package, which is what lets a carton sit on a shelf unopened.

FDA: Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (2023 revision)

02 · A closer look

After you open it.

The Pasteurized Milk Ordinance requires the words “keep refrigerated after opening” on aseptically processed low-acid milk. The carton date is a date for unopened milk; once opened, refrigerate it and check the USDA FoodKeeper for how long that milk keeps.

USDA and FoodSafety.gov: FoodKeeper (storage times for pantry, refrigerator and freezer)

03 · A closer look

Milk and butter in a power outage.

FoodSafety.gov’s chart for food held at 40 F or above for more than 2 hours says to discard milk and cream, and that butter and margarine can be kept. That is a different question from shelf-stable cartons, which are sealed and not refrigerated unopened.

FoodSafety.gov: refrigerated food and power outages

04 · A closer look

Can you freeze butter?

FoodSafety.gov says food held continuously at 0 F is safe indefinitely, and that freezer times are about quality. For how long butter keeps its best quality in the freezer, use the USDA FoodKeeper entry; we do not quote a figure we could not confirm on a USDA page.

FoodSafety.gov: cold food storage chart (refrigerator at 40 F, freezer at 0 F)

05 · A closer look

What a date label means.

Date labels on most food are voluntary. USDA FSIS says that, except for infant formula, a date on a package is not required by federal law and is not a safety date. For meat, poultry and egg products FSIS describes “Best if Used By” as the date for best flavor or quality, not a purchase or safety date. Infant formula is the exception: the FDA requires a “Use by” date on its label.

USDA FSIS: food product dating

06 · A closer look

What the label adds.

Plain milk lists milk and vitamins. Shelf-stable plant milks and flavored milks add gums and stabilizers, which the table counts. Our checker flags carrageenan and seed oils and does not flag gellan or guar gum.

From the catalog · 6 labels

Milk in our catalog

Milk is one of the shortest labels: milk and a vitamin. Gums and thickeners appear mainly in flavored and plant-based milks. Of the 4,729 products whose full ingredient list we have read in the last 90 days, 32 sit on the milk shelf and 29 of those have no additive group flagged by the checker. Open a product to see its full label and the date we read it.

Milk shelf: current labels in the CleanFoodScore catalog (counted at the last site build)
Labels
Current labels on the milk shelf32
List vitamin A or D25 (78.1%)
List a gum (carrageenan, gellan, guar, locust bean)7 (21.9%)
With any additive group flagged by the checker3 (9.4%)

From the catalog · 4 labels

Plant milks in our catalog

Boxed plant milks are the other large group of shelf-stable drinks, and they add gums and stabilizers that dairy milk does not. Of the 4,729 products whose full ingredient list we have read in the last 90 days, 79 sit on the plant milk shelf and 63 of those have no additive group flagged by the checker. Open a product to see its full label and the date we read it.

Plant milk shelf: current labels in the CleanFoodScore catalog (counted at the last site build)
Labels
Current labels on the plant milk shelf79
List a gum (carrageenan, gellan, guar, locust bean, xanthan)30 (38.0%)
List a seed oil14 (17.7%)
With any additive group flagged by the checker16 (20.3%)

From the catalog · 4 labels

Butter in our catalog

Butter is cream and, usually, salt. It sits on its own shelf here. Of the 4,729 products whose full ingredient list we have read in the last 90 days, 69 sit on the butter shelf and 60 of those have no additive group flagged by the checker. Open a product to see its full label and the date we read it.

Butter shelf: current labels in the CleanFoodScore catalog (counted at the last site build)
Labels
Current labels on the butter shelf69
List salt48 (69.6%)
List a preservative (sorbate or benzoate)2 (2.9%)
With any additive group flagged by the checker9 (13.0%)

The short answer

Our picks for shelf-stable milk

Top of the shelfKalona SuperNatural Organic Cream-Top Whole Milk, Maple Hill Grass-Fed Whole Milk, and Organic Valley Grassmilk Organic Whole Milk each score 100/100. 4 products tie at 100; these 3 have the shortest labels. Use Compare by in the table to separate the rest.

Also strongOrganic Valley Organic Salted Butter (100), Alexandre Family Farm Organic A2/A2 100% Grass-Fed Milk (85), and Clover Sonoma Organic Salted Butter (85).

Clear noNone. Nothing scored here lists any of the nine groups we check, so there’s no additive to rule out.

Ranked from 8 of 8 products with current labels. Every product is in the table below; a score reflects labels and claims, not nutrition, allergies or safety.

Compare the recorded labels

Find the ingredients that matter to you.

8 of 8 products

“No …” columns: None found on the label · Listed on the label · Unknown. Diet fit: Fits · Doesn’t fit · Unknown (rules; not medical advice). Claims: verified · not established. Default: most check marks first; not a health score.

Compare product claims and recorded ingredients. Click a column heading to sort.
Buy
100 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicFind where to buy ↗Product details →6
100 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicFind where to buy ↗Product details →7
100 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicFind where to buy ↗Product details →6
100 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicBuy on Amazon ↗Product details →6
85 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicFind where to buy ↗Product details →5
85 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicFind where to buy ↗Product details →5
85 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicFind where to buy ↗Product details →5
85 / 1009 of 9 groups clear · organicFind where to buy ↗Product details →5
How the clean score works

No setup needed, and strict: a full 100 needs every additive group clear and a verified organic claim (animal foods also need a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim; wild seafood and salt, which have no USDA organic standard, are scored without the organic points, and plant-based milks, cheeses and proteins without the feeding claim). Points: the nine additive groups (seed oils, artificial dyes, MSG, artificial sweeteners, carrageenan, artificial preservatives, hydrogenated oils, corn syrups, banned-abroad additives) share 60 points equally — not found earns a group’s full share, “may contain” earns half, listed earns 0; a verified organic claim is worth 25; a verified grass-fed or pasture-raised claim is worth 15 and counts only for animal foods. No claim, or an expired or unverified claim, earns nothing, so products without those claims cannot reach 100. Unverified or expired ingredient labels receive no score. Equal scores are equal. Ties are ordered by brand. Unknown and stale evidence never passes “Only show matches.” Producer claims and prices do not affect this score. This is not a nutrition, allergy, or safety rating.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying links do not influence ingredient results. “Buy on Amazon” opens a reviewed product listing; “Find where to buy” opens the maker’s page. Confirm the package, seller, stock, and current price before checkout. Price observations expire after 30 days.

Primary sources

Sources

  1. FDA: Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (2023 revision) fda.gov
  2. 21 CFR 131.3: milk and cream, definitions (ultra-pasteurized) law.cornell.edu
  3. FoodSafety.gov: refrigerated food and power outages foodsafety.gov
  4. FoodSafety.gov: cold food storage chart (refrigerator at 40 F, freezer at 0 F) foodsafety.gov
  5. USDA FSIS: food product dating fsis.usda.gov
  6. USDA and FoodSafety.gov: FoodKeeper (storage times for pantry, refrigerator and freezer) foodsafety.gov

Watch

The video about this page

Shelf Stable Milk: How It Works and What to ReadUnder the FDA's milk ordinance, ultra pasteurized milk is heated to at least 280 F for at least 2 seconds, which is how a carton can sit on a shelf until opened. None of our 32 current milk labels lists a flagged preservative (as of October 2026).Watch on YouTube · The Short: Can You Freeze Butter? Yes. Here Is the Rule

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