“The truth about food expiration date labels and their limitations”

Many people refer to the expiration date labels on food boxes to determine whether they are suitable for eating, but it depends on a number of other things that limit the accuracy and usefulness of these labels, according to reports.

With the exception of infant formula, these labels are not actually a measure of food safety, according to a newspaper report GuardianSunday.

And the site states that nearly a third of the food supply in the United States of America is not eaten, according to the latest estimates conducted by the food waste group ReFed.

The group also found that wasted food accounts for nearly 149 billion meals, uses nearly a quarter of the freshwater resources and 16 percent of the cropland in the United States, contributing 6 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

While the Guardian report indicates that the confusion caused by the expiration date on food packages is not the only reason behind these numbers, it is mentioned that nearly half of it occurs after the food reaches homes.

And the newspaper quotes experts that diseases associated with mold and bacteria found in bad foods can be dangerous and fears are justified, but expiration date labels do little to stave off these risks.

“There is nothing concrete about these dates related to foodborne illness,” said registered dietitian Dr. Andrea Glenn.

She pointed to other factors in the global food system, such as the distance to transport products to distant places, and food handling practices, which play a greater role in food safety.

She explained, “These dates generally indicate when the product will have the best flavor or quality,” adding that “the dates have nothing to do with food safety.”

Instead, she explains, it’s helpful to look for other signs of spoilage, such as a strange smell, flavour, color or texture, as these are “better indicators of potential danger”.

However, the Guardian report states, the vast majority of Americans still rely on those dates to make food safety decisions.

And according to the site Mayo Clinic The dates on food packages are not expiration dates, and their purpose is to ensure quality, not the safety of their ingredients.

The health website explains what these dates mean, according to the following figure:

• “sold before”. This date shows the grocery owner the period during which the product is allowed to be offered for sale. This date is not related to safety, but from it you may know that the product you intend to buy has been on sale for a longer period than other products.
• It is best consumed before. It is recommended to purchase the product before this date to ensure the best taste or quality. After that, the quality of the food may decrease.
• “consumed before”. This date is set by the manufacturer, and indicates the quality of the product. The quality of the food may decrease after that.
• Closed or encrypted dates. These dates are commonly found on packaged food products and are packaging data used by the manufacturer. It may be used to remove the product from the market.

And the Mayo Clinic recommends that instead of relying on these dates, make sure to consume perishable foods, or freeze them within a few days of the date of purchase.

He continues that there is no doubt that freezing food ensures its safety, but the quality decreases over time.

He points out that knowing the meaning of the dates on food packages can help save money and reduce food waste.