How much attention do you pay to the use-by dates on the food you buy?

This morning we were talking about a company called Approved Foods which is doing great business selling on food which is approaching its end date.

You appeared to agree that use-by dates didn't spell the end of the road for a variety of foodstuffs. Here's a selection of your views:

"When you buy bread, vegetables, meat etc. from small independent shops there are no dates on anything so you have to use your own judgement so why not rely on that same judgement with packaged foods? Karen, Nailsworth, Glos."

"I own a village store in North Yorkshire and me and my family have lived on out-of-date stock for the last seventeen year with no detrimental effects. I reckon its really just a case of using common sense. Anway just off to make a bacon butty with bacon that's a week past its use by date. Cheers. Ian."

Not everyone was convinced however. Here's what David in Huntingdon thought: "Of course - the folks who died from food poisoning from eating out-dated food haven't been able to text you!!"

Rachel spoke to microbiologist Professor Hugh Pennington to find out what the official line is:

Let us know what you think about the usefulness of use-by dates.

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