You probably have a carton of milk in your refrigerator that has a date written on it, and you have come to believe that this date signals that the milk is about to go bad.
Do not put too much stock into that date, in spite of the fact that it has passed its “best before” date, a whiff or a taste test may indicate that the milk is still good to drink.
On food that is bought at most South African grocers, date markings such as “Best Before”, “Sell By”, and “Use By” are widespread.
Even while a large number of people, 86% of us, according to one study, throw away food after such “expiration” dates have passed, this waste is more likely caused by confusion than by any actual truth.
In point of fact, these dates have nothing to do with food safety or expiration and are instead advice made by producers as to when a product will have the finest flavour.
In most western countries, formula for infants is the only product that must comply with legislation and have a label that indicates when it may be consumed without risk.
Misreading the expiry dates on food products results in the annual waste of millions of tons of food. This wasted food accounts for approximately 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to the destruction of forests, grasslands, and other animal habitats.
Utilise your senses rather than discarding food simply because it is “past its date”, you may learn more about the condition of your food by doing an investigation into it, such as by looking at it, smelling it, or giving it a little taste test. This will tell you more about the item’s status than an arbitrary label will.
The practices that are used to store food can also lengthen its shelf life. By placing foods such as bread in the freezer, you may limit the risk of mould growth or it drying out, extending the amount of time it is safe to use considerably beyond the expiry date shown on the packaging by weeks or even months.
A handy tip I have been using for a while to test whether eggs are still good is to place them in a mug or bowl of water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it is still good to go, if it floats to the top, that means that there are gases inside and the egg should be binned.
It is a misconception that we have to wait for food to cool to ambient temperatures before placing it in the fridge. This just allows for more time for bad bacteria to grow. Place food in the fridge as soon as you can. You may need to let an extremely hot item cool down a bit though.
IOL Environment