I'm guilty as much as the next person of tossing out food once it's past its expiration date. I felt even more ashamed after learning that the Natural Resources Defense Council discovered that over 90 percent of Americans throw out food that is still edible because they go by expiration dates. This also proved that many of us misunderstand the concept of a "Sell by," "Best by" and "Use by" date, which AREN'T indicators of food safety.
Not only are tons of good food being discarded, but many of us are left completely confused.
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The truth is those dates don't determine whether your food is safe or not. Instead they were created by manufacturers to let consumers know a food's peak of freshness. In fact, Emily Broad Leib, the director of Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic, tells Time magazine that these dates ONLY focus on the quality of the food as opposed to the safety of it. She adds," You can make your own decision about whether a food still has an edible quality that's acceptable to you."
If you're still stumped, we''ve broken down for you what you need to know. We don't like wasting food, but remember your safety comes first. If it smells funky or tastes bad before its expiration date, throw it out!
"Sell by" date: This date is only intended for manufacturers and retailers. Its sole purpose is in order to let the store know when the item is freshest.
"Best by" or "Best before": These dates are intended for customers and to let them know when their food is at the peak of its freshness and has the best flavor.
"Use by": It's easy to misinterpret this one because it seems to imply that the food will go bad after said date. Much like "Best by" dates, "Use by" are indicators of freshness for the buyer. It doesn't mean the food is unsafe or will spoil soon.
"Guaranteed fresh": Normally you see this label on foods at supermarket bakeries. This date indicates the peak of their freshness, but is still edible afterwards.
Foods that last longer: You may be under the impression that if you have a food item past one of the indicators above that its no longer edible. In fact foods such as hard cheeses, butter, cereal, and sodas, and eggs all last longer than you think.
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