Does the expiration date on food products mean it's not good?
Do you pour milk down the drain if
it was even 24 hours past the date printed on the carton? The very expiration
dates that that a lot of buyers so faithfully adhere to are mere suggestions.
Even the FDA admits this: "'Use-by' dates usually refer to best quality
and are not safety dates," the agency says in its expiration-dateFAQ.
"But even if the date expires during home storage, a product should be safe,
wholesome and of good quality if handled properly and kept at 40° F or
below." The only product that the FDA requires expiration dates for is
infant formula.
Grocery store food waste is a well-documented
problem. A 2006 study (PDF) found that the average supermarket sends close to 5,000
pounds of food per employee to the landfill every year.
So
what's a waste-hating consumer to do? For starters, find out if your
supermarket donates near-expired goods to charity. You can also hunt for
bargains. Some major supermarket chains have discount shelves and bins, and
discount chains like Grocery Outlet sell food that's nearing or just
slightly past its prime. Once you get your goods home, treat expiration dates
as guidelines. In most cases, you can use your eyes and nose: If something
looks off-color or smells unappetizing, that's a good sign that you shouldn't
eat it. You can also refer to this handy FDA chart.Source
