Good Lifestyle

When was the last time you threw food because it was "expired" before you can enjoy it? If you are like most Americans, it was today. Yes, the average American citizen throws almost a book of food a day, according to 2018Plos a to study. But we have all been learned to think that it is dangerous to eat expired foods, right?

"Food waste leads me crazy even in my own household," said Bonnie Taub-Ten, DND, Dietitian based in New York, creator ofBetterthandieting.comand author ofRead it before eating it: taking you from the label at the table. "I can not tell you how many times my children said," Is it always good? "About something that had an expiry date for that day! (and of course, they want me to taste first.)"

You wonder what is the answer to the same question as the children of Taub-ten and so many of us ask? We were too. So we turned to the experts how long you can (or should you) eat food after his expiry date. But first, we should define exactly what is the expiry date.

What is the definition of the expiry date?

Here are some shocking new but true:These claims are often regulated per person, but the food brands themselves. "The FDA does not require manufacturers to have an expiration or use by dates on food products, with the exception of infant formulas," says Deborah Kotz, Press Officer of the Food Administration and American drug. "Some state and locality agencies require expiration dates on certain food labels, but most often, manufacturers voluntarily include expiration or dates of use."

In fact, aHarvard Researcher Compared these unregulated dates to "Wild Western". So what do these distant terms really mean? Here is a report of the USDA Food Security Inspection Service:

• Better by: For consumers; A sign of the flavor or quality is at its peak.This has nothing to do with food security.
• Sell ​​by: For the store; A sign for how long keep a product on shelves.This has nothing to do with food security.
• Use by: For consumers; A sign of when using a product by the best quality.This has nothing to do with food security.

Note a theme?

Confusion on these dates causes a quantity of 90% of perfectly safe food garbage, says aSurvey of the Food Marketing Institute. Common culprits include soup, eggs, dairy products, cereals and bread. (Speaking of bread, did you read about thebest place to store it?)

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So, is it sure to eat expired food?

Because there is no clear definition of the expiration date, Diéige of New York, Brooke Alpert, RD, author ofThe detoxification regimeExplains that you can trust your instincts: "A good tracking rule is to use your senses; if something feels, we feel, tastes or bad thing, it's probably," says Alpert. "If you are not sure, always wander on the side of caution to avoid any food origin."

Taub-ten chimes to explain that storage techniques are essential to extend the shelf life of your food. "If a product is stored correctly, it should last beyond the date indicated on the package. There is so much food waste in this country - it's sad how good food is launched at the trash," says -she.

How to extend the life of a food

"There is a new proposed legislation that would create national rules to label food, eliminating confusion between a date that may mean that food may not be at its optimal quality (TastseWise) with respect to the date on which a product is dangerous. to eat "Taub-ten says.

Try itUSDA's Foodkeeper App To maximize the life of your grocery store, store theirFood safety and storage graphicsIn your kitchen and keep these first five alpart pointers in mind:

1. "KeepPrepackaged items and canned goods in fresh dry storageand their average life is six months to a year. "
2. "Buy fresh products such as products and dairy products in small quantities On a more regular basis, such as weekly, so you can use them more quickly to avoid deterioration. "
3. "Meal plan to minimize food waste. In this way, you will only buy what you need for the meals you will prepare. "
4. "To buyFrozen fruits and vegetables To avoid throwing products that go wrong before you can use it. "
5. "Store your pantry with healthy dried products Asquinoa, black rice, dried lentils and low sodium beans so you have meal staples at your fingertips every time you need it. "

Affected scientists continue to look for a better strategy to indicate food security dates so as not to confuse consumers or lead to excess waste. A handful of marks in the U.K., Including the dairy companyArla Foods, tests a new sticker label calledTouch Mimica . It goes from smooth to notebook in the presence of modifications of products or temperatures that report the actual expiration. Until these technologies move the United States, remember food safety guidelines and stick with the proven odor test.