What storage methods help sour cream remain fresh?

Here are tips from the experts:

• Get sour cream home quickly and refrigerate it immediately at 40°F or lower.
• Separate sour cream from onions, garlic, and citrus fruits so it doesn’t absorb pungent odors.
• Never put sour cream (or butter, eggs, or milk, for that matter) in the fridge door, where the temperature fluctuates if the door is open often.
• Leave sour cream in its original packaging--new containers introduce bacteria.
• Always serve sour cream with a clean spoon to avoid cross-contamination from other foods.          
• If the whey separates (you’ll see a watery liquid on the surface), blend it back in, to prevent the sour cream from decomposing. (Some whey separation is natural, but large amounts may indicate the product has spoiled.)

Source(s):
Cary Frye, vice-president of regulatory affairs, International Dairy Foods Association
Dr. Robert Bradley, Professor emeritus of food science, University of Wisconsin

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