What specific physical presentation defines spoiled milk when visual inspection is performed?
Answer
It separates, showing clumps or curds floating in a watery liquid.
Dairy products offer distinct sensory clues when they undergo spoilage. For milk specifically, the decomposition process, often driven by lactic acid bacteria activity which lowers the pH and causes souring, results in a distinct physical separation of its components. Instead of being a uniform liquid, spoiled milk will visibly separate, leading to the formation of visible clumps or curds suspended within a thinner, watery liquid portion. This separation, combined with a distinctly sour or pungent odor, signals that the milk has spoiled beyond safe consumption.
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