Amid rising food prices, it’s crucial to know how to maximise the lifespan of your fridge contents and save them before they spoil.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued guidance on understanding best before and use-by dates to help prevent food waste and illness.
The FSA emphasises that the use-by date is “the most important date to remember” because consuming food past this date could lead to food poisoning. These dates are typically found on perishable items like meat or bags of lettuce.
Food can be safely eaten up until midnight of the use-by date, but not after, unless it has been properly cooked or frozen beforehand. Even if produce such as lettuce appears and smells fresh, eating it post the use-by date is a no-go, with the FSA warning it could result in severe illness.
On the flip side, best-before dates suggest that food may still be safe to eat beyond this point, though its quality might not be at its peak.
Use-by dates are usually seen on products that deteriorate rapidly, including meats, ready-to-eat salads like lettuce, certain fruit juices, and dairy items. For further details, the FSA website is a handy resource, reports the Express.
To make sure you’re adhering to the use-by date effectively, always follow the storage instructions on the packaging. For instance, if it says to refrigerate after opening, keep the food at 5C or lower.
Maintaining proper chilling is vital for keeping your food safe.
If you prepare food on its use-by date, it can be refrigerated afterwards. The process of cooking eliminates pathogens, giving you a bit more leeway to consume the food.
However, it must be eaten within 48 hours or frozen for future use. If you choose to freeze it, make sure to label it with the date to prevent unidentified items in your freezer.
Bear in mind, after the use-by date, the food should not be eaten, cooked, or frozen. Bacteria that can cause sickness are not identifiable by smell, so it’s crucial to stick to use-by dates for your own safety.
Use-by dates
A use-by date on food is primarily about safety, and foods include:
- Meat products including chicken, beef, pork, turkey and lamb
- Dairy products including some milk, soft cheeses, and yogurts
- Unpasturised juice
- Ready-to-eat salads like lettuce
Best before dates
The best before date, sometimes displayed as BBE (best before end), pertains to quality, and foods include:
- Frozen foods (such as peas, chips and ice cream)
- Fried foods (such as pasta and rice)
- Tinned foods (such as baked beans and canned tomatoes)
- Cheese