FOOD
SAFETY
Use by, best by, sell by dates –
are we all too fussy?
Every one of us throws away food worth £420 a year according
to government figures. Around a third of food grown for the table
in the UK ends up in the rubbish bin and scares over food safety
are to blame according to BBC’s Costing the Earth.
Lord Haskins, the government advisor on food and farming says we’re
obsessed by sell by dates. He told Stephen Nolan show on Thursday
that he’s happy to drink milk a week past its sell by date
and blames public attitude to food for the dreadful waste
How much attention do we pay to sell by and use by dates?
According to the Food Standards
Agency, date marks such as 'display until' or 'sell by' often appear
near or next to the 'best before' or 'use by' date. They are used
by some shops to help with stock control and are instructions for
shop staff, not shoppers.
The important dates to look for are the 'use by' and 'best before'
dates.
According to the Food
Standards Agency
Use by meansYou will see 'use by' dates on food that goes off quickly,
such as smoked fish, meat products and ready-prepared salads.
Don't use any food or drink
after the end of the 'use by' date on the label, even if it looks
and smells fine. This is because using it after this date could
put your health at risk.
For the 'use by' date to be
a valid guide, you must follow carefully storage instructions such
as 'keep in a refrigerator'. If you don't follow these instructions,
the food will spoil more quickly and you may risk food poisoning.
'Use by' does not always mean
'eat by'. If a food can be frozen its life can be extended beyond
the 'use by' date.
But make sure you follow any
instructions on the pack – such as 'freeze on day of purchase',
'cook from frozen' or 'defrost thoroughly before use and use within
24 hours'.
It's also important you follow
any instructions for cooking and preparation shown on the label.
Once a food with a 'use by'
date on it has been opened, you also need to follow any instructions
such as 'eat within a week of opening'.
But if the 'use by' date is tomorrow, then you must use the food
by the end of tomorrow, even if you only opened it today.
Best before means
'Best before' dates appear on a wide range of frozen, dried, tinned
and other foods.
The 'best before' dates are
more about quality than safety, so when the date runs out it doesn't
mean that the food will be harmful, but it might begin to lose its
flavour and texture.
However, you shouldn't eat
eggs after the 'best before' date. This is because eggs can contain
salmonella bacteria, which could start to multiply after this date.
And remember, the 'best before'
date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the
instructions on the label, such as 'store in a cool dry place' or
'keep in the fridge once opened'.
So, if you want to enjoy the
food at its best, use it by its 'best before' date and make sure
you follow any instructions.
For advice on food safety issues
or further information, please contact the Food Standards Agency
of Northern Ireland:
028 9041 7700
www.food.gov.uk/northernireland
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