While our fluid milk (skim, 1%, 2% 3.25%) has the same shelf life in Alberta than it does in Ontario, some of the premium products differ in their expiry dates. Cream and premium milks, including lactaid, lactose reduced, organic and Omega-3 enhanced milk have longer shelf lives in Ontario because they process them differently than here in Alberta. Those products undergo Extended Shelf Life (ESL) processing, which extends the expiry date, compared to products who undergo regular pasteurization. In ESL processing, the conventional milk processing can be enlarged with further processing steps, such as microfiltration, bactofugation or high heat treatment. Not to be confused with Ultra High Temperature Processed (UHT) dairy, ESL processed products are easy to spot on the grocery store shelf by looking for a plastic spout on the side of the milk carton.