Perhaps you didn’t even check to see if the food was still good before throwing it in the trash.
You looked at the “Best by” date — or myriad other possible product date labels, from “Enjoy by” and “Sell by” to “Best before” — on the carton or box, and finding the date had passed, pitched the food without further thought. In fact, it might have been OK to eat after all. Experts say consumer confusion over varied and undefined product date labels for consumers and retailers increases our food waste.
“Food scraps are the No. 2 thing in landfills; No. 1 is paper,” says Sharon Palmer, a dietitian specializing in plant-based nutrition and a food writer who has written about reducing food waste; she adds that much of that paper goes to packaging foods. For food that really is bad or rotten — such as vegetable and fruit wastes — composting is another option to keep it out of the landfill, and that’s something Palmer advises. But even before food goes out the door — whether in the garbage or to a compost heap — experts say consumers should do a double take to make sure it really is food gone bad, and not, say, perfectly good dinner betrayed by a confusing product date label.
[See: 8 Ways to Eat Well and Save Money at Home.]
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an estimated 30 percent of food is lost or wasted at the retail and consumer level. In December, the USDA issued guidance urging food manufacturers and retailers to voluntarily only use a “Best if Used By” date label, so it can be easily understood by consumers that the date is an indicator of quality, rather than safety.
Then last month, two major industry trade associations, the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, launched their own joint initiative to reduce consumer confusion about product date labels, seeking to similarly whittle down about a dozen commonly used labels to two. One of the labels recommended is “Best if Used By,” to describe product quality, like when a product might not taste as good — or is stale or a drink that is a little flat after that date, says Andrew Harig, senior director of sustainability, tax and trade at Food Marketing Institute, a trade association that represents food wholesalers and retailers. But it’s still safe to consume after that date. The other date label proposed to streamline labeling and reduce consumer confusion is simply “Use By.” This applies to the few products that are highly perishable or for which there may be a food safety concern over time, like poultry.
The FMI and GMA are encouraging manufacturers and retailers to immediately begin phasing in common wording right away and urging widespread adoption of the standardized product date labels by summer 2018.
Additionally, the label “Freeze by” could be added, Harig says, because there are many products that can be frozen, such as chicken or meat, to significantly increase how long they keep and can be eaten. “If you just keep it in the refrigerator, it’s got a much shorter life,” he says.
[See: Fresh Fish Shouldn’t Stink, and Other Rules of Thumb.]
But apart from infant formula, the federal government doesn’t regulate any product date labels. FDA regulations require a “use by” date on each container of infant formula after which a package or container of infant formula shouldn’t be fed to infants, according to the agency. However, in most cases the goals of balancing safety concerns, not wanting to eat something that tastes gross and trying to do right by the planet — to reduce food waste — require effort and discernment on the part of the consumer that go beyond checking a date on a product.
For starters, consider how long food typically lasts by category, if not frozen. Plan to consume fresh cut meats and unsealed deli counter meats within three to five days and ground meat, poultry and fresh fish in one to two days, says Nancy Farrell, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and registered dietitian nutritionist in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
“Meats should always be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator — it’s the coldest part of the refrigerator,” she says. “Very importantly, doing so is a food safety precaution, as it would prevent meat juices from dripping onto other food products.” Spoiled and uncooked meats, poultry and eggs can be a breeding ground for bacteria like salmonella, which results in about 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though cooking generally helps, heat alone can’t remove all danger from consuming spoiled foods, like meats. Some bacteria like Clostridium bear spores that can cause illness and are resistant to cooking or freezing.
Farrell says milk should be consumed within a week after opening, and eggs can last three weeks in their cartons. Just don’t put them on refrigerator door shelves, she says, where they’re more susceptible to temperature fluctuations from the door opening and closing. Much of food safety comes down to proper storage and preparation, experts say. And apps, including Is My Food Safe? from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and The FoodKeeper developed by FMI, Cornell University’s Department of Food Science and the USDA, along with an accompanying database, can help consumers ensure they’re properly preparing foods — like cooking it to the right temperature — and better gauge when it’s OK to eat or best to pitch it for quality, freshness or safety reasons.
Your habits in the kitchen play a central role in ensuring food safety, Palmer says. “For example, anything that you’re not going to cook — that could be lettuces, cilantro, your slicing tomatoes — you definitely want to make sure you have a clean countertop [and] a cutting board that hasn’t been contaminated, especially with meat,” she says. Careful cleaning reduces a risk for cross-contamination, such as with bacteria.
[See: Should I Wash the Turkey Before Cooking It?]
While it’s also important to pay attention to product safety recalls — like with bagged salads that have been tied to some outbreaks — don’t assume because your produce doesn’t look perfect, it’s unsafe or unfit to eat. Instead, for your budget and the planet, embrace ugly vegetables and fruit that might have some bumps and bruises or not be proportioned just so. “Our food system requires foods to be so perfect — down to the size, so they sit in the box right,” Palmer says. That creates a lot of waste even before food reaches consumers; but by not pitching food that starts looking less than perfect after it’s purchased — say cutting out the bruised part of a banana — consumers can save money and reduce food waste without denting taste or affecting safety.
All things considered, experts say, it’s just best, and safe, to give your food a chance — at least a smell or taste test — even if you bought it a day after the “Sell by” date.
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