When the food in your fridge is past the “best by” or “sell by” dates, what do you do with it? Toss it out? If you are like most Americans, you’re probably throwing it out for your own safety. According to a new study, the problem is that most people believe wrongly that food product dates are federally regulated and indicate the point after which the food is no longer safe to eat. Neither is true. Let’s clear up some misunderstandings regarding expiration dates. First, “best by” refers to when a food is at peak flavor or quality, and “sell by” indicates how long a store should sell or display a product for inventory management reasons. Got it? Good. But when should you throw something out? If proper spoilage isn’t evident, use your senses: spoilage batteries will typically produce a noticeable change in odor, flavor or texture. If none of these have developed, it’s probably safe to keep your food.
What the expiration dates on food products really mean
More of Today's Solutions
The fight against malaria improves thanks to innovative mosquito bed nets tha...
Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, remains a substantial public health threat, particularly in endemic areas. However, recent trials have produced encouraging results, implying that new ...
Read MoreMongolia signs historic climate finance deal to protect grasslands
Mongolia's government and a coalition of partners signed a pioneering nature financing deal, marking a watershed moment in environmental protection. This historic agreement seeks ...
Read MoreHow to be a better conversationalist
A meaningful conversation is the best way to build a connection with someone, but simply conjuring up such a conversation is not always easy—especially ...
Read MoreHubble takes beautiful image of galaxies “dancing”
The Hubble Space Telescope ventured into space over three decades ago in 1990, and has observed around 50,000 celestial bodies to date. During this ...
Read More
