Post by account_disabled on Feb 14, 2024 5:56:52 GMT -5
A lost bag of granola in the pantry? One look at the expiration date might tell you it's time to throw it away, but "expired" foods could still be perfectly safe and delicious to eat. According to Eco Watch , following expiration dates often leads us to throw away foods that are still perfectly edible, contributing to our massive food waste problem . Expiration labeling The labels “sell by,” “use by,” “best by,” “best if used by,” “use by,” do not necessarily mean the same thing, and do not communicate anything about actual safety. of food after the printed date. However, in the absence of a national standard for food labeling, these phrases have confused and misled our perception of when a product is edible, or not. To start learning the truth about expiry dates, we should mention that “sell by” dates on food products were introduced by Marks & Spencer in the 1950s, but did not attract much public attention until the 1950s. from 1970. At the time, most Americans bought their food in supermarkets rather than growing it or purchasing it directly from farms, leading to increased concern about the freshness of ingredients. Information about product expiration dates was printed in a kind of code that only retailers could decipher, but it was not available to consumers. When customers began demanding more transparency about their purchases (some activists even began deciphering the labels and handing out pamphlets explaining how to read the codes), manufacturers responded by dating their products more clearly with expiration dates.
Truth about expiration dates The truth about expiration dates The truth is that while most manufacturers responded by dating their products more clearly with expiration dates, the then Congressional Office of Technology Assessment in the US stated that there was "little or no benefit from open dating in terms of improving microbiological safety. So what is the truth about expiration dates? In the case of the US, as an example, there is no universal federal standard for what these dates mean, leaving it up to states to create their own rules and regulations based on a hodgepodge of information, recommendations, and government discretion. the industry. In the state of Montana, for example, milk can only be sold for 12 days after it is pasteurized, but when crossing the border into Idaho, it can be sold for more than 20 days. While companies are not required to put dates on products (except baby formulas), they cannot print false or misleading information, but they also do not need FDA approval for the dates Argentina Phone Number List they print. The expiration date is not an exact science Ultimately, expiration dates have much more to do with quality than safety. However, a 2019 study found that 84% of Americans throw away food at least occasionally because it is close to or past the date printed on the package. Andy Harig of FMI (a food industry association) said in an interview with CNN that the print date is primarily about brand protection, an estimate of when the food will taste the best so that customers will enjoy it and continue purchasing it. So the date is not an exact science, but rather a prediction of when the product will be at its best quality in terms of taste, appearance and texture. Although it may provide comfort to consumers as a reference point, it is not actually telling us what we need to know. The food may still be safe, but if not stored properly, it could spoil long before its expiration date.
Use by” dates are often a conservative estimate, as producers anticipate that consumers may not store the product perfectly. The problem of food waste Continuing with the US example, between 30% and 40% of the US food supply is wasted each year. But food waste, due to its expiration date, is not just a problem of wasted money, but also of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, landfill space, and widespread food insecurity. Of all the food wasted at home, the FDA estimates that about 20% is due to uncertainty about the meaning of labels on packaged foods. In other words, about a fifth of a household's food is typically thrown away due to expiration dates, even when some of that food might still be perfectly safe to eat. Fortunately, there has been a legislative push to create better standards for these expiration dates. The Food Date Labeling Act of 2021 aims to require food manufacturers to label products with “use by” and “best by” along with dates to specifically communicate safety and quality, respectively. But even if this law is enacted, the government also has a social responsibility to communicate more about the truth of expiration dates. How do you know if a food expires? In the FoodKeeper app developed by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, users can check how long certain foods last using different storage methods. If you are unsure whether a food is safe to eat, trust your senses. Most products will have a clear change in smell, appearance and taste if they have gone bad. Pay special attention to any changes in color, texture or consistency. While these dates may provide convenience for consumers as a reference point, they don't actually give us all the information we need.
Truth about expiration dates The truth about expiration dates The truth is that while most manufacturers responded by dating their products more clearly with expiration dates, the then Congressional Office of Technology Assessment in the US stated that there was "little or no benefit from open dating in terms of improving microbiological safety. So what is the truth about expiration dates? In the case of the US, as an example, there is no universal federal standard for what these dates mean, leaving it up to states to create their own rules and regulations based on a hodgepodge of information, recommendations, and government discretion. the industry. In the state of Montana, for example, milk can only be sold for 12 days after it is pasteurized, but when crossing the border into Idaho, it can be sold for more than 20 days. While companies are not required to put dates on products (except baby formulas), they cannot print false or misleading information, but they also do not need FDA approval for the dates Argentina Phone Number List they print. The expiration date is not an exact science Ultimately, expiration dates have much more to do with quality than safety. However, a 2019 study found that 84% of Americans throw away food at least occasionally because it is close to or past the date printed on the package. Andy Harig of FMI (a food industry association) said in an interview with CNN that the print date is primarily about brand protection, an estimate of when the food will taste the best so that customers will enjoy it and continue purchasing it. So the date is not an exact science, but rather a prediction of when the product will be at its best quality in terms of taste, appearance and texture. Although it may provide comfort to consumers as a reference point, it is not actually telling us what we need to know. The food may still be safe, but if not stored properly, it could spoil long before its expiration date.
Use by” dates are often a conservative estimate, as producers anticipate that consumers may not store the product perfectly. The problem of food waste Continuing with the US example, between 30% and 40% of the US food supply is wasted each year. But food waste, due to its expiration date, is not just a problem of wasted money, but also of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, landfill space, and widespread food insecurity. Of all the food wasted at home, the FDA estimates that about 20% is due to uncertainty about the meaning of labels on packaged foods. In other words, about a fifth of a household's food is typically thrown away due to expiration dates, even when some of that food might still be perfectly safe to eat. Fortunately, there has been a legislative push to create better standards for these expiration dates. The Food Date Labeling Act of 2021 aims to require food manufacturers to label products with “use by” and “best by” along with dates to specifically communicate safety and quality, respectively. But even if this law is enacted, the government also has a social responsibility to communicate more about the truth of expiration dates. How do you know if a food expires? In the FoodKeeper app developed by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, users can check how long certain foods last using different storage methods. If you are unsure whether a food is safe to eat, trust your senses. Most products will have a clear change in smell, appearance and taste if they have gone bad. Pay special attention to any changes in color, texture or consistency. While these dates may provide convenience for consumers as a reference point, they don't actually give us all the information we need.
