Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think

Did you know that 37% of US food waste comes from individual households?

In a 2019 survey of over 1,000 US citizens, more than 70% said they use date labels to determine whether food is still edible, and nearly 60% said they'd throw out any food that is past those dates.

But they're not alone as restaurants and grocers do the same.

The video posted by TED-Ed highlighted that expiration dates of food packaging aren't all they're said to be.

Dating back to the 20th Century when people knew the journey between the food supplier and end consumer, knowing when food went 'off' was simply a matter of sight, smell and touch.

Food expiration dates are rarely backed by science /Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

Since then, 'product ages have been harder to gauge' and so, dates were added to food packaging in supermarkets to ensure 'optimum freshness'.

In fact, 'the vague metric has nothing to do with expiration dates or food safety' and rarely has any 'scientific backing.'

Instead, most manufacturers are encouraged to set these dates early, 'ensuring customers will taste their food at its best and come back for more.'

Therefore, many foods are safe to eat past their labelled dates.

Specifically, canned foods can remain safe for years past their dates, as long as there are no signs of 'bulging or rusting'.

Shelf-stable goods might taste stale after a certain date but they certainly aren't a risk to human health.

Additionally, refrigerated eggs are okay up to five weeks after purchase. If there is any spoil, your nose will let you know, or you can do the egg-in-water test.

Most foods are easy to tell when they are past their expiration date, you just need to look for signs of odours, moulds, and any slimy surfaces.

Many foods are safe to eat past their labelled dates / Nancybelle Gonzaga Villarroya/Getty Images

However, it's a different story for meats. The USDA recommends eating or freezing meat within days of purchase. And be on the lookout for dates on unpasteurised cheeses, deli meats and salads as these can carry pathogenic bacteria which could be a health risk.

The video has led some people to believe more improvements need to be made to the food industry to make things clearer to the public.

For example, one viewer commented: '"fresh until" and "safe to consume until" having these two dates make a great difference'.

Another user wrote: 'Expiry also depends on if the product is reopenable. For example an unopened jug of milk past the expiration date is probably still A-OK for a good long while, whereas a jug of milk opened a couple of times over a week that’s past expiration date might be at risk of spoilage.'

Others are happy that the video exists for the sake of backing up arguments, one reads: 'I've always kept foods beyond the expiration dates specifically canned foods, condiments, and dried pastas. People would give me a hard time....I'm glad that this video exists.'