In a familiar scenario, you stand in front of your fridge and hold the yogurt can you keep on the shelf in front of you;

You read the expiration date printed on its lid, open it to examine its scent and find it natural, but you decide to avoid the adventure and ultimately throw it away.

You go to a complex or supermarket, stand in front of the shelves, check the stacked products, and choose the goods hidden behind the facade products, knowing that the production date is more recent, and the expiration date is later.

But what if you knew that these dates do not play any role in the validity of the product that is in your hands, and do not control the date of its spoilage in the first place, but were written for other purposes completely far from the validity of food?

That's right, one of the misinformation spreading among us is that the expiration date that is printed on the outside labels wrapping our food, or sealed on the base of the cans, are dates primarily concerned with the safety of your food or its proximity to spoilage.

But the truth is that these dates prompt you to throw your food in the trash without it actually being spoiled, and with the exception of baby food and some natural drugs, you really are throwing away food that is still edible.

It's okay if you are among the 45% of people who think that the expiration of these dates makes food unsafe to eat.

Diane Javeli, a clinical dietitian at the University of Washington says: “These dates are set by the manufacturers, and they mean that these products will be better sold during these dates, and in particular they indicate the shelf life of the product for flavor and color, and it is based on their personal opinion and not on a specific safety standard. !

What almost everyone does not know is that the Food and Drug Administration does not require any safety or safety dates on any food product except infant formula. Brenda Watson, Executive Director of the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education, adds: "These dates are just the promises of consumer manufacturers that the quality of their packaging and product will be at their highest level within the period between the production date and the expiration date." (1) (2)

Looking at the United States of America alone, citizens waste between 30% and 40% of the country's food supply, which is enough to feed 730 football fields full of fans annually. Likewise in Britain; It is estimated that the amount of food wasted that turns into waste is about two million tons annually. The process of wasting food in which the date poster plays a starring role includes both consumers and sellers.When a seller in the shops was asked about the possibility of donating products that have expired instead of throwing them, he said that the shops could not bear the responsibility that one of them became ill as a result of eating an expired product Although the product has not actually expired, there is no law that holds the donor responsible for the consequences of his donation. (3)

In an experiment that the presenter of the "CBC Marketplace" program did to uncover the facts of these dates with the help of a microbiologist, to clarify what would happen if we consumed the expired materials according to the date on their covers, the presenter brought some crackers that have expired - as printed - a year ago. As soon as the specialist examined it, he confirmed that it is fit for food and consumption, but its taste and quality changed, but it is completely safe. This is exactly what Dr. Oz confirmed in his program by reviewing many expired products, but they are edible without harm even years after their expiration. He emphasized: "We are disposing of a large amount of edible food. Many expired foods can be consumed if stored properly." (4), (5)

Leaving labels and their dates aside, we still need to know when food is unsafe to consume?

It is important to always pay attention to the perishable ingredients in our food, spoilage usually occurs as a result of poor storage

Whether in the warehouse of the shops, or at home.

The process of transporting the goods may sometimes be obstructed, or exposed to a temperature that is not suitable for them during storage, all of this will shorten the life span printed on these stickers.

In this matter, there are some indications that the product has been damaged and is no longer suitable for consumption even if the expiration date is still valid.

Most of these signals can be sensed by the senses, such as a bad smell, or fruits and vegetables becoming overly tender, and some grains appear on their surface.

As for uncooked meat, once it becomes sticky, this means that it is not safe for consumption at all.

(6), (7) and (8)

In the book "The F-Factor Diet," nutritionist Tania Zuckerbrot says that consumer awareness is very essential in understanding these dates, and that bacteria always find a suitable place to grow.

Almost dairy, it is better to stick to the dates printed on it, but if our sensory notes, such as color and smell, are valid, they are valid for 4-5 days after their expiration date according to the printed date.

As for the meat, it can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, and then it can be transferred to the freezer and kept for 8 full months.

As for cans that have long dates that extend for two or three years, Zuckerbrot confirms that these dates are valid only if the product is not used or opened, but this shelf life will be reduced to two weeks - maximum - if the product is opened.

Certainly, some products have an accurate shelf life and are not recommended to be consumed after the expiration of the date, such as: cheese spread.

(9) (10)

Shelf life primarily rests with storage, meaning poor storage is primarily responsible for food spoilage. There are several simple notes that help the consumer provide a safe environment for foods that are stored in the refrigerator or frozen food. First of all, it is important that the shelves of the refrigerator not be crowded with food in order to give the air a vacuum to complete its circulation inside the refrigerator, as the congestion often impedes the movement of cold air and makes some places warm and subject to the growth of bacteria inside the refrigerator. We should also avoid storing milk and cheese with very heat-sensitive ingredients in the refrigerator door, as the refrigerator door is a place that does not have a constant temperature because it is opened constantly. (1112)

There are also some items that are commonly stored on kitchen shelves, but their correct place is in the refrigerator, including: nuts, grains. In conclusion, the coolness of the refrigerator is an important factor in preserving foods. This may seem intuitive, but it needs moderation, as a very low temperature freezes food, which turns the refrigerator into a freezer that spoils vegetables and fruits full of liquids, and the high temperature will make the refrigerator a suitable place for the growth of bacteria, so, it is important to set the refrigerator on Medium cold.

This is not a claim for non-compliance with the dates shown on the product packaging, but rather a warning that calls for awareness and reducing food waste as long as it is edible.

The World Hunger Index 2018 indicates that the level of hunger and undernourishment around the world is alarming, as 79 countries around the world have failed to reach the "Zero Hunger" plan, and all of them have recorded huge proportions in food waste.

In order to reach the goal of reducing food waste, a new approach must be taken in dealing with it.

So, don't be in a hurry the next time you read the expiration date of tomato sauce in your fridge, take a deep breath and check it before putting it back in place or throwing it in the trash.

(13)

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Sources

  • Those Food Expiration Dates Don't Mean What You Think They Do

  • 5 things you should know about food expiry dates

  • “Expired” food is good for you: A supermarket exec's bold business gamble

  • Best before dates: How supermarkets tamper with your food (CBC Marketplace)

  • How Food Manufacturers Pick Expiration Dates and What They Really Mean

  • The Hidden Meaning Behind Fruit & Vegetable Labels

  • Food expired?

    Don't be so quick to toss it

  • What Do Food Expiration Dates Actually Mean?

  • Food expiration dates: Guidelines or deadlines?

  • Food Expiration Dates |

    Seven things You Should Not Eat After The Expiration Date

  • Stop Wasting Money!

    10 Useful Food Storage Tips!

  • Save Money!

    10 Ways To Make Your Groceries Last Longer!

    (Clean My Space)

  • 2018 Global Hunger Index by Severity