out of date food

Bob Z

If food goes out of date is it still safe to eat? if so how long for? does it vary from food to food?

boodlesdoodles

Depends on if it is 'best before' or 'use by'. If it's 'best before' I have no problem using it after that date, just means the food was better before that date not that it's inedible after that date. I always use up food by the 'use by' date, as it is perishable and could make you ill. I have dried past that's over 2 years past its bb date and it's perfect!

duploelabs

Very interesting piece on best before dates etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14925046

Scrap food sell-by dates, government urges manufacturers

What does it say on the tin?
EU wants clearer food labelling
Sell-by dates should be removed from food packaging to help cut waste and save shoppers money, ministers say.

The UK throws away about £12bn of edible food each year and critics say confusing packaging is partly to blame.

New government advice says firms should include only use-by or best-before dates and remove sell-by and display-until labels relating to stock control.

The British Retail Consortium said a better approach would be to educate people on what the dates mean.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says five million tonnes of edible food is discarded by UK households annually - the equivalent of £680 for a household with children.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said confusion over food labelling was responsible for an estimated £750m of the £12bn edible-food wastage each year.

'Not relevant'
"We want to end the food labelling confusion and make it clear once and for all when food is good and safe to eat," she said.

She wants confusing stock rotation information - such as sell-by dates - removed from packaging altogether.


“
Start Quote

We always emphasise that use-by dates are the most important, as these relate to food safety”

Liz Redmond
Food Standards Agency
"There are products that have several dates on them; use by, best before. Sometimes it says 'display until', which is not relevant at all by the time it's sitting in your fridge," Ms Spelman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"So I can understand when people - particularly young people starting out with shopping - look at these dates and say 'I'm not sure about this; better throw it away'."

Compliance with the new guidance is not required by law, although Defra says businesses are legally bound to label food with either a use-by or best-before date.

Its guidance says foods likely to require a use-by date - meaning they could become dangerous to eat - include soft cheese, ready-prepared meals and smoked fish.

Foods likely to require only a best-before date - meaning they may lose quality but are still safe to consume - include biscuits, jams, pickles, crisps and tinned foods.


Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman: "People are confused about food labelling"
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is backing the new advice.

"We always emphasise that use-by dates are the most important, as these relate to food safety," said its head of hygiene and microbiology, Liz Redmond.

'Wrong approach'
However, food writer Rose Prince told Today she doubted the science employed by manufacturers to set use-by dates and said perishables such as eggs and yoghurt could often last much longer.

The guidance was produced in consultation with food manufacturers, supermarkets, trade associations, consumer groups and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

The British Retail Consortium argues the government is tackling the problem of food waste in the wrong way.

Food Director Andrew Opie said a better approach would be to educate consumers so they are clear on the difference between best-before and use-by dates.

"Helping consumers understand that food past its best-before date can still be eaten or cooked could contribute to reducing food waste and saving people money," he said.

"The government should be spreading that message, not focusing on retail practices

The Hill Billy

Bob Z wrote: »

If food goes out of date is it still safe to eat? if so how long for? does it vary from food to food?

Hi there - Just to be clear about this...

What ever advice that may be posted on this thread - you are responsible for determining whether the food you eat is 'safe' or not.

Boards.ie cannot be held responsible for any so-called 'food safety advice' given on this forum.

Thanks for your understanding.

tHB

Guill

I base everything on how it smell s, if there is something growing on it or if it has drastically changed colour.

The father in-law love sour sausages, he lets them go slightly hairy and then brushes off the hairy bits and fries them as normal, they taste very sweet, not my cup of tea.

kylith

Best Before dates are just guidelines; depending on what it is it can be good for a couple of weeks after that date. I usually give it a smell, or have a little taste if it's 'ready to eat'. E.g. milk that has a BB of the 17th may well be fine until the 21st. It all depends on what it is and how it's stored.

Use By dates are something you really should abide by because the food probably won't be safe to eat after that date.

Bob Z

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Hi there - Just to be clear about this...

What ever advice that may be posted on this thread - you are responsible for determining whether the food you eat is 'safe' or not.

Boards.ie cannot be held responsible for any so-called 'food safety advice' given on this forum.

Thanks for your understanding.

tHB

Yes i know i am responsinle i am just looking for more information