As you shop during the Christmas season, you may be faced with confusing dates on packaged food labels. This article helps make sense out of the confusion even as you venture out to the shops, markets and supermarkets to buy goods, particularly “food stuff”. Expiry date – The date-marking must be permanently marked or embossed on the package or label of the package. This is the date after which the product, when kept in accordance with any storage conditions indicated on the label, may not retain its normal nature and quality. “Best before” date – Products such as food items which are susceptible to spoilage should not be consumed if the “best before” date is passed. Even if the food shows no sign of spoilage, it can harbour pathogenic microorganisms that can cause food borne illness. Foods that are not susceptible to spoilage can usually be consumed past their “best before” date; these foods may have lost some of their original flavour and nutritional value. Use your senses (sight and smell) and common sense to decide if it is appropriate to eat it. When in doubt, throw it away. The idea of having “best before” dates on food is a first attempt to quantify the level of freshness or staleness of food. This is a good idea, as you can tell if the food is “in date” or not. However, best before dates have produced a strange misconception which is surprisingly widespread, in which food is believed to “expire” at some exact point. Some other Dates to Note Use by, Best if used by, or a Quality Assurance date – These dates do not imply that the food is unsafe to eat after the listed date. The date merely refers to flavor and quality. To receive the maximum amount of nutrients and peak flavor of this product it should be consumed prior to the date shown. A good example would be cereal. A box of cereal sitting in the cupboard for a lengthy period of time will not taste as fresh as a newly packaged one, nor will it be as nutritious. Sell by or Pull date – These dates are placed on products to suggest to the retailer the need of removing the items from the sales floor after the listed date. Another benefit of these dates is to advise store staff to move the item to the front of the shelf months before the date and weeks before the date to sell at a discounted price. A sell by date does not indicate the food automatically “goes bad” on that date. Milk, for example would retain its flavor and freshness for approximately one week after the date, and chicken for one or two days. Pack or Package Date – This is a date placed on fresh meats and produce to indicate the date of packaging. This does not guarantee safety or freshness. It is also important to note that some of the points mentioned above can be applied to other products such as processed foods, condiments, detergents etc. In conclusion, as you shop during this Christmas season, purchase and consume goods that are not expired and highlight any instance to vendors, shopkeepers and supermarket attendants where goods are found to be expired. These goods should be immediately removed from the selling area.
For further information please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0069, 219-0065, 219-0066.
