Milk tea is a much-loved drink in modern life, not only rich in taste, but also in a relaxed and cheerful mood. As the weather gets hotter and hotter, milk tea has also ushered in a peak of consumption.
People who often buy milk tea must have seen many milk tea packages printed with the words "please drink as soon as possible", "drink within 2 hours", "drink within 1 hour", etc., and some clerks will also remind "drink as soon as possible, otherwise the taste will be affected".
Does milk tea really have to be consumed within "2 hours"? Let's talk about the answer first: If you make milk tea, it is best to drink it as soon as possible, preferably no more than 2 hours.
What's in milk tea?
Milk tea, as the name suggests, is a drink made mainly of milk + tea.
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Milk tea is usually made of tea leaves and milk, and now in order to adjust the taste, sugar, cream, cheese, fruit, creamer and other flavors will be added to make it taste more diverse and can also meet the taste needs of different people.
· Milk: Milk is common, but also with cream, non-dairy cream, and cheese.
· Tea: black tea, green tea, clear tea, etc., you can also add a variety of tea powders.
· Sugar: There are those with white sugar, some with fructose syrup, and more recently, sugar substitutes, such as erythritol, aspartame, etc.
· Salt: Some traditional milk teas in Inner Mongolia taste salty, and salt is added during the production process.
· Fruits: Many milk teas will also add a variety of fresh fruits, such as strawberries, grapes, mangoes, etc., which will also make milk tea sweeter.
How long should I finish milk tea?
How long does it take to drink a cup of milk tea? 1 hour, or 2 hours? In terms of safety and taste, two hours is a good choice.
1
safety
The taste of milk tea is very good, it contains protein, fat, sugar and other nutrients, these nutrients are also loved by many microorganisms in the environment. A cup of freshly made milk tea placed on the outside without any protection errors will cause all kinds of microorganisms to eye. If milk tea is stored for too long, various bacteria and microorganisms may grow and multiply in large quantities, resulting in food safety hazards.
Bacteria grow when food is left outside, and the growth rate has a lot to do with temperature. In food safety, we usually think that 5°C~60°C is the dangerous temperature zone, and in this temperature range, bacteria will multiply rapidly and accelerate food spoilage. As you can see, it's basically the temperature of our daily environment.
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The 4-hour/2-hour rule applies to the safe storage time between 5°C and 60°C, i.e. food that has been in a temperature danger zone for no more than 2 hours (including preparation, storage and display) can be refrigerated (kept below 5°C) or reheated (heated above 60°C) and removed again at a later time. However, the total time that the food stays in the danger zone must not exceed 4 hours.
This means that if there is no treatment (no sealing or refrigeration), it is best to eat it within 2 hours; If it takes more than 2 hours, it is best to re-refrigerate or reheat before eating; If it's more than 4 hours, then try not to eat it.
Therefore, from the perspective of food safety, it makes sense that milk tea is best drunk within 2 hours, and it is better to put it in the refrigerator if it can't be drunk. If it's been left out for more than 4 hours, it's best not to drink it.
2
palate
In addition to food safety considerations, taste is also important. After all, many of us spend a dozen or even dozens of yuan to buy a cup of milk tea, isn't it just because it tastes good.
When you buy a cup of freshly brewed milk tea, it tastes the best, and various flavors such as tea, milk, and fruit can be fully displayed, and it is in the best state. However, over time, the ingredients in milk tea will change and the flavor will slowly be lost.
First of all, the tea polyphenols in tea will gradually oxidize and decompose, resulting in the weakening of tea aroma, and at the same time, the flavor of milk and fruit will slowly fade. These changes will make the taste of milk tea become bland and lose its original flavor and texture.
Secondly, over time, the temperature of the milk tea placed outside will also find changes, especially in the hot summer now, the outside temperature is around thirty or forty degrees. The temperature of iced milk tea will slowly increase, while the temperature of hot milk tea will slowly decrease.
People's temperature preferences for iced milk tea and hot milk tea are still different. Adding ice has a great impact on everyone, ordering ice milk tea, of course, I like the iced taste, but after a long time, the ice cubes will slowly melt, the temperature will become higher, and the taste will naturally become. People generally prefer the taste of hot milk tea to be around 50 degrees, and after a long time, the temperature is low, and they will also feel that the taste is not good.
So, in order to taste good, you should also drink it as soon as possible. However, there is no very exact time to say what the effect of taste is.
How to drink milk tea with confidence?
If you make milk tea, it is best to drink it as soon as possible, preferably no more than 2 hours, in order to ensure the freshness of the taste and food safety. If you want to enjoy the delicious taste of milk tea, remember to drink it as soon as possible after purchase to avoid storing it for too long.
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In addition, it should be reminded that "please drink within 2 hours" is calculated from the time the milk tea is made, and if you order through takeaway, you will need to subtract the delivery time.
If the milk tea has been sealed and refrigerated in the refrigerator at about 4°C, it can be safely drunk for more than 2 hours. If the milk tea has been opened or sucked through a straw, it is best to drink it within 2 hours; If you can't finish it, you should put it in the refrigerator, and it is best to finish it as soon as possible. If you put it in the refrigerator after leaving it outside at room temperature for 2 hours, you should still pay attention to whether it smells bad or deteriorates when you drink it again.
Of course, this is an ideal recommendation for food safety, and it does not mean that you will definitely get food poisoning and diarrhea after drinking it for more than 4 hours, but it is more risky. Specifically, in real life, we also need to consider the cost, after all, if you really throw it away, many people are reluctant to do so, and it will cause food waste.
Finally, I suggest that although milk tea is delicious, don't be greedy, after all, it is a high-sugar and high-oil food!