Food dating came into the picture in the s when consumers were producing less of their own food but still wanting information about how it was made. Food companies realized that a spoiled food product may turn consumers away from a certain store or food brand, and so they chose date ranges to keep food in peak condition. Since then, food dating has been streamlined :. This helps the food retain a long shelf life even after purchase. This is often printed on meat, poultry or egg labels and should be taken seriously.
As previously mentioned, sometimes eating food after the "best by" date simply means a decline in quality. Yogurt , for example, can be eaten 14 to 24 days after the printed date, but it will become increasingly sour during that time. Other foods, however, might make you sick , and the symptoms can range from a stomach ache to full-on food poisoning.
In order to ensure you getting the freshest food, it is necessary to scrutinize packaging and purchase the items with the most recent date. Although most markets are good about rotating their stock, some are not. If a store is properly stocked, the freshest items will be at the back of the shelf or underneath older items. While other dating terms are used as a basic guideline, this one is absolute. Food is generally safe if consumed past this date, but may have deteriorated in flavor, texture, or appearance.
Items are generally safe for consumption after this date, but may begin to lose flavor or eye appeal. This date is often used for perishable baked goods. Beyond this date, freshness is no longer guaranteed, although it may still be edible. This is the date the item was packed, most often used on canned and boxed items. It is usually in the form of a code and not easy to decipher. Or it may be coded using Julian numbers, where January 1 would be and December 31 would be These time stamps are generally a reference to the date, time, and location of the manufacture and not be confused with expiration dates.
Sometimes it feels easier to ditch whatever product is old according to an expiration date, rather than risk hours—or even days— of food poisoning. But that often results in the trashing of perfectly edible food.
It's confusing, partially, due to the various terms used to determine whether food is still good. The Center for Disease Control estimates that there are 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses each year in the United States, or one in six Americans.
FDA: Wants food expiration dates standardized with 'best if used by' to cut waste. Stay prepared: Foods with the longest shelf life. The labeling of expiration dates on foods actually isn't required by the FDA, except on infant formula.
Cool, dry conditions are best; and refrigeration can extend product life. The Best By date takes into account normal daily usage. Recommended best practices are to open the bottle, remove the exact amount of product you wish to consume, and then close the lid tightly. If consuming the product more than once a day, try to remove the total amount needed for the day at one time.
0コメント