If you’ve ever thrown out a carton of milk or a container of yoghurt solely because the date on the packaging had passed, you’re not alone. Many people throw away food simply because of the date printed on the label. But often it is still perfectly edible, according to experts.
With no federal regulations in the US requiring standardised labels for dates on food except for baby formula, it’s no surprise that deciphering terms like “best before”, “best by”, “best if used by”, “enjoy by” and “sell by” can be mind-boggling.
What most people don’t realise is that those labels are more about how fresh something is — not how safe the food is to eat.
Here are a few tips to help you understand food date labels and keep perfectly good food out of the bin:
More than 50 different date labels are used in the US
In the US, more than 80% of consumers discard food approaching the package date label at least occasionally, a 2019 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found.
“The date labels guarantee quality up until that point,” said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University. “They are not about the safety of a product.”
Food date labels vary and are determined by the food manufacturer. “They’re based on when the manufacturer thinks that product will taste its best, when its quality will be at its peak,” said Rachel Zemser, a San Francisco Bay Area food scientist who helps food companies design, launch and market new food products.
Food packaging helps determine for how long food is safe to eat
Unopened canned food such as beans, tomatoes, fruit, vegetables and any shelf-stable food packaged in liquid, will last for years after the date stamped on its label. The same goes for boxes of soy milk or boxes of almond milk, or any food that’s been heat-treated and sealed to stay safe without refrigeration.
Dry goods, such as biscuits, crackers and cereal, also have a long shelf life because the low moisture in them does not allow bacteria to grow.
“People can use their best judgment by smelling and tasting the product because dry crackers and cookies, and things of that nature, may be stale, but they are not going to make you sick if you eat them,” Zemser said.
But extra precautions should be taken with beef, chicken or fish. They can go bad even if in your refrigerator, but wrapping them tight in plastic and freezing them before the “best by” date on packaging could help them last longer.
“Most bacteria need moisture and air to grow and thrive, so very dry products will last, but I wouldn’t risk it with meat,” Zemser said.
The FoodKeeper, a website and free app developed by the department of agriculture, Cornell University, and the Food Marketing Institute, provides guidance on how long foods stay fresh and safe to eat.
Practise your own food stock rotation, buy appropriate amounts of food, don’t buy giant amounts that you won’t be able to eat.
— Donald Schaffner
Most labels are about food quality, not safety
The only product legally required by the federal government to have an expiration date is infant formula. It should not be consumed past that date because its nutrients decline over time.
“Infant formula is the sole source of nutrition for the infant, and the concern is that the child could have a nutritional deficiency” if given expired formula, Schaffner said.
In general, people should use their own judgment and look for signs like mould, strange odours and unusual colours to decide whether or not to throw out food.
Follow your taste buds
“Practise your own food stock rotation, buy appropriate amounts of food, don’t buy giant amounts that you won’t be able to eat,” Schaffner said. “Because who wants to eat poor-quality food?”
AP
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.