Here's everything you don't know about expiration dates on food
| Updated: Mar 13, 2018, 10:49 IST
We all take expiration dates rather seriously. 'Cause who wants to fall ill, right? According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food expiration dates refer to food quality, not food safety. Federal regulations do not require that expiration dates be put on meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, cans and boxed foods (baby formula is the only product that requires an expiration date). They are added as a helpful guide to consumers and retailers. However, here are the things you might not know...
'Best if used by' dates suggests when a product will be at peak quality. It will still be safe to consume after that date, but the flavour and texture quality will start to go down. Coming to 'use by' dates, the date is usually found on more perishable items, like meat. It’s still okay to consume the product for a short period after the date, but don’t wait too long. And lastly, 'sell by' dates are for retailers and vendors. The date tells retailers when the product should be off the shelves. Sales are one-way grocery stores try to get older inventory into consumers’ carts, and it’s usually pretty effective.
Most of our wastage is because we follow expiration dates too closely and end up throwing out perfectly good food. It’s such a shame. Luckily, now that you know, you can change that! Use your best judgment to determine whether or not food should be tossed. Instead of looking at the date, look at the actual food. Does the colour look right? Is the odour funky? Has the texture changed? This will prevent you from throwing out perfectly good food and will even ensure that you stay well and not fall sick too often too.
'Best if used by' dates suggests when a product will be at peak quality. It will still be safe to consume after that date, but the flavour and texture quality will start to go down. Coming to 'use by' dates, the date is usually found on more perishable items, like meat. It’s still okay to consume the product for a short period after the date, but don’t wait too long. And lastly, 'sell by' dates are for retailers and vendors. The date tells retailers when the product should be off the shelves. Sales are one-way grocery stores try to get older inventory into consumers’ carts, and it’s usually pretty effective.
Most of our wastage is because we follow expiration dates too closely and end up throwing out perfectly good food. It’s such a shame. Luckily, now that you know, you can change that! Use your best judgment to determine whether or not food should be tossed. Instead of looking at the date, look at the actual food. Does the colour look right? Is the odour funky? Has the texture changed? This will prevent you from throwing out perfectly good food and will even ensure that you stay well and not fall sick too often too.