Food scientist says you CAN eat some foods after their sell-by dates and how to tell if items are still fresh
Millions of tonnes of food are thrown away needlessly every year by Brits, but this doesn't have to be the case
EVERY year millions of tonnes worth of food is thrown away by Brits due to it being past the sell-by date.
But a top food scientist has said it IS safe to eat a number of foods days or even months after the date specified on the packet.
Around 720million eggs are tossed away by shoppers every year in the UK due to being past their “best-before” date, according to food waste app Too Good To Go.
And around 7.3million tons of fruit, vegetables, bread and dried goods are also chucked away due to hitting their peak days.
The Government has launched in initiative that aims to reduce household wastage by half – and supermarkets like Tesco have begun to remove best-before labels to help.
While “display-until” and “sell-by” dates are used by shops to know when to rotate stock, “use-by” dates should be observed when it comes to meat, fish, dairy and salads to avoid food poisoning.
It should be noted that pregnant women, the elderly, babies and those with health conditions should never take any risks when it comes to pushing dates.
But it is possible for many shoppers to safely consume some products after the “expiry” date says.
Professor Judith Evans told the the ways to tell if your food is really safe to eat…
Eggs
While many people chuck their eggs as soon as the “best-by” date comes around on the box, they can actually be edible for three or four weeks after.
To check if your eggs are safe, pop them uncracked in a bowl of water, and if they sink they are still fresh.
Eggs produce gases as they start to go off, and they will float in water if they are full of air and should be chucked.
Cheese
Many cheese products are safe to eat days or even weeks after their “best-before” dates.
Hard cheese, for example, can be eaten around six weeks after the stated day, if the block has been kept refrigerated.
Just make sure you chop away any visible mould before consuming.
Soft cheese, like camembert and brie, can last for a week after the “best-before” date, if it hasn’t been opened.
If it has been exposed to the air, it may spoil quicker and you should not eat them if there is visible mould, as it can grow alongside bacteria like E.Coli.
Bread
If you want to make your loaf stretch out, your best bet is to pop it in the freezer as it can be stored for up to six months this way.
Bread can also last around five to seven days after the “best-before” date if it is stored correctly and packaged at room temperature.
Don’t be tempted to put your bread in the fridge, however, as this makes it goes stale more quickly.
This process occurs as it increases the speed of recrystalisation of starch in the bread.
Bread with black mould should be thrown away immediately, but a little blue mould can be chopped away with a few centimetres around the spot.
Potatoes
You can eat your spuds around three weeks after the “best-before” date, as long as the bit you are eating is creamy-coloured and firm.
If they have gone green and have small sprouts, you are able to cut off these sections and consume the rest of the potato.
Softer potatoes are still edible, but won’t taste as nice.
Pasta and rice
You can keep pasta and rice for up to two years before they go off, if they are stored in a sealed and dry spot.
They will lose their flavour over time, but they are unlikely to grow bacteria and mould if kept correctly.
This only applies to dried pasta, as fresh pasta that is unopened will last a week after the “best-before” date, but only a few days if it is open.
Uncooked brown rice can be consumed around a month after the “best-before” date, and this stretches for a few months for uncooked white rice.
Tinned tomatoes
If cans are stored in cool, dark spots and are kept sealed, they can last for over a year after their “best-before” date.
This applies to products like tinned tomatoes or canned beans.
If you open a can, you should store it in a sealed container and only eat if there is no mould or unusual smells present.
Any cans that have dents or leaks should be thrown away.
Milk
Milk and butter can be frozen to make them last up to three months and unopened semi-skimmed milk can usually stretch around two days after its “use-by” date.
A test you can do to see if your carton is fresh is to see if it looks watery with lumps or has a sour taste – in which case it has gone-off.
Milk with less fat typically lasts longer.
Meat products
You should never take any chances when it comes to your meat and fish.
You should not consume chicken that is more than 24 hours after its “use-by” date as raw chicken can harbour bacteria like salmonella.
Beef steaks should be eaten around 24 hours after their “use-by” date, and gone-off meat has a brown or grey colour and smells unpleasant.
While smoked fish, like salmon or kippers, can last up to three days in the fridge after the “use-by” date, fresh fish should be thrown away before 24 hours.
You should also be wary of cooked meats and processed pies, which can also cause food poisoning if eaten after their specified dates.
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