The 2 words you need to search on each food label, the study says
You think we know what these words mean, but the search says you can go wrong.
Food labels may seem intuitive, but they can be difficult to read and understand completely forThe average customer. These labels generally include confusing expiry dates, ingredients that you have never heard and nutritional facts with an overwhelming amount of information. You can not even worry about paying too much attention to food labels, but there is one thing in particular that you should definitely search. New research shows that there are two important words on each food label and most consumers who think they are signing are truly wrong. Read it to find out what you probably hurt about your food.
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Many people do not know what the words "use by" actually mean on a food label.
A study published May 1 in theJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that most people do not know how correctlyRead expiration date labels on their food package. The study, which used data of more than 2,600 consumers in 2019 through a US survey Amazon Mechanical Turk, revealed that only 24.3% of respondents experienced a specific significance of a label. Used by ", which is the date after which food is not sure to eat. However, peoplethink They know what it means, with 89.4% saying that they were confident that they knew the exact meaning.
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Some consumers do not know what the "best if used by" date of date ".
Your food labels may also include a "better if used by" date, which means that food quality can deteriorate after this date. According to the study, only 46.2% of respondents correctly identified the specific meaning of the date "best used by", although 92.1% felt they knew what it meant. "Despite the use of labels frequently, many people do not haveUnderstand the labels completely, "Co-study authorCatherine Turvey, MPH, the Department of Exercise Sciences and Nutrition at the Milken Institute School of Public Health from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., explained in a statement.
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These two dates do not mean the same thing.
The researchers note that there is a clear difference between the date "used by" and "better if used by" date. If a product has passed on the date "Use by", you must throw it. However, if it happened from the date "best if used by", you can use your senses and your best judgment to determine if it is always good to eat, potentially preventing unnecessary food waste. "You can say there is a change in your food because it feels a kind of difference or says it's chips - it does not have this crunch you are looking for," said Turvey. "Then you can make a decision that the quality of the food has been sufficiently worn so that the food is no longer enjoyable."
People continue to read these labels correctly even after being educated on their meanings.
Turvey said that through their study, the researchers found that people continued to mishand the labels even after viewing the educational messages. Despite the interviewees learning the differences between the two labels, 37% still did not understand the specific meaning of the "best if used by" dates, while 48% did not receive the specific meaning of "use by" dates. "Unjustified trust and familiarity of date labels canMake consumers less attentive At educational messaging that explains the labeling system of the food industry, "said Turvey.
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