Is It True That Expired Foods Are Always Dangerous? This Is The Fact

Illustration of food products (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA - Expiration dates often make us immediately throw away food, even though not all products are really dangerous after passing that date. Many foods are still safe to consume as long as their physical condition is good and their storage is right. However, it is important to distinguish between expiration date for quality (best before) and expiration date for safety (use by).

The questions that arise are always the same, is it still safe to eat? The answer can be yes and no. It turns out that these dates do not always show food safety, so they often confuse them.

Reporting from the Times of India page, the term on the label means different.

- Best before shows quality, not safety. That is, food is at the best quality before that date. After passing, the taste or texture may change slightly, but it is usually still safe to consume.

- Use by is also different. This is directly related to security, especially for foods such as milk, meat, and fresh juice. If it's past this date, the risk is much greater. It's better not to force yourself to eat it.

If in doubt, it is safer not to consume it than to risk illness. Some types of food tend to last longer than the date listed on the label. For example:

- Dry foods such as pasta, rice, cereals, or canned food. As long as the storage is correct and there is no strange smell, changing color, or packaged inflating, it is usually still safe.

- Crypts, biscuits, or crackers may be less crunchy, but still safe to eat.

- Frozen food is also generally safe if it is completely stored in the freezer and is not covered with thick ice sheets. Maybe it doesn't taste as sharp as when it's just bought, but it's not dangerous.

There are also foods that are more sensitive and should not be consumed after the expiration date, such as soft cheese, processed meat (deli meal), milk has been opened, and foods contain eggs. Even though it looks fine, dangerous bacteria may develop without changing aroma or appearance.

If it is past the date of use by and has been opened for a long time, it is better to throw it away. If there are mushrooms, especially in soft foods such as bread or yogurt, it is a sign that food must be thrown away immediately. For hard cheese, mushrooms can be cut, but for other foods, it is not recommended.

Seeing, kissing, and tasting can indeed help know the condition of the food, but not always accurate. There are dangerous bacteria that do not change color, smell, or taste. If the texture is strange, the color changes, or the packaging expands and leaks, it's better not to eat it.

The main key is to balance between reducing food waste and maintaining health. Too quickly throwing away food can be wasteful, but eating damaged foods is much more dangerous.

If it's only passed a day or two from the date 'best before' and the condition is still good, it's usually safe. But for easy-to-state foods such as milk or meat, it's better to be careful. Throwing away a little food is much better than having to deal with health problems.