By April Reese
University of Georgia
Old dates on food products may not mean the food should be
tossed
to the trash. A University of Georgia food specialist said some
foods are good for longer.
“A sell-by, expiration or use-by date tells the store how
long to
display a product for sale,” said Elizabeth Andress of the UGA
Extension Service. “Buy a product before a sell-by date, but it
is still safe to use (after then).”
Refrigerated properly, some foods stay fresh long after the
sell-by or best-if-used-by date.
“Some foods, like fresh ground meats and fresh poultry, last
one
to two days after the sell-by date if kept properly refrigerated
at all times,” Andress said.
“Other foods such as beef or pork roasts may last three to
four
days after the sell-by date,” she said. “A cured or precooked ham
can last a week.”
If a product has a use-by date, however, pay attention. “In
particular, never buy or use baby formula or food after its
use-by date,” Andress warned.
Unlike the other labels, the use-by date it is the last day
the
manufacturer recommends for the safe use of a food product.
Dating Decoded
Some food labels say “sell by,” while others print, “best if
used
by” or “use by” on the products. These labels mean different
things.
“A best-if-used-by or best-if-used-before date is the date to
use
for eating the food at its best quality or flavor,” Andress said.
“It’s not a purchase date or a date of final safety.” A
guaranteed-fresh-until date is the same thing.
“The manufacturer probably offers a reimbursement if the
consumer
is unsatisfied with the quality of the product before that date,”
she said. “Reading the label carefully will show this.”
Unopened dry foods such as crackers, cookies or dry bean mixes
can be microbiologically safe for several years after a best-if-
used-by date, Andress said.
“Dry foods can develop changes in flavor, texture and
appearance
that may make them less desirable over time,” she said.
“Generally, it’s good to use these items within several months of
purchase.”
Don’t use canned foods, she said, if they’re swollen, bulging,
rusted, severely dented or if they have stained labels.
Otherwise, store them in a dry, cool place.
Refrigerated foods with best-if-used-by dates are a little
harder
to predict.
“Milk and fresh yogurts should be used within several days to
a
week past their sell-by or best-if-used-by dates, as long as they
look and smell good,” she said. “Salad dressings may last for
months with good quality.”
There are other indicators of spoiled food.
“Foods can develop off odors, flavor or appearance due to
spoilage bacteria,” she said. “If a food has any of these
characteristics, don’t use it, regardless of the date on the
package.”
The right temperature
“Mishandling fresh foods can also change their safe storage
time,
regardless of package dates,” Andress said. “Leaving perishable
foods at room temperature or warmer for too long is one common
way of mishandling food.” (Perishable foods require refrigerated
storage of 40 degrees or lower.)
Andress said people do many other things that will shorten a
food’s expected shelf life. Here are a few:
* Defrosting at room temperature more than 2 hours.
* Leaving foods out of coolers or refrigerators at picnics or
parties.
* Taking too long to get refrigerated or frozen foods home and
refrigerated after purchase.
* Using contaminated cutting boards or utensils.
What about eggs?
Eggs stay fresh long after they leave the supermarket
cooler.
“If an egg carton has an expiration date printed on it, don’t
buy
eggs after that date,” Andress said. “It’s the last day the store
may sell the eggs as fresh.”
“As long as you buy eggs before the expiration date, you
should
be able to safely use them for three to five weeks after the
date,” she said.
As with other perishable foods, though, get them from the
store
into your home fridge as quickly as you can.
(April Reese is a
student writer with the University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)