Food Date Stamps Explained
According to the Food Standards Agency
A ‘Use by’ date is an instruction applied to
foods that go off quickly, such as fresh meat and fish, where
serious forms of food poisoning are a real risk if food is consumed
after this date.
Don’t use any food or drink after the end of the ‘use by’ date
on the label, even if it looks and smells fine.
For the ‘use by’ date to be a valid guide, you must follow
carefully storage instructions such as ‘keep in a refrigerator’. If
you don’t follow these instructions, the food will spoil more
quickly and you may risk food poisoning.
‘Use By’ does not always mean ‘eat by’. If a food can be frozen
its life can be extended beyond the ‘use by’ date. But make sure
you follow any instructions on the pack – such as ‘freeze on day of
purchase’, ‘cook from frozen’ or ‘defrost thoroughly before use and
use within 24 hours’.
Once a food with a ‘use by’ date on it has been opened, you also
need to follow any instructions such as ‘eat within a week of
opening’.
Where as, a ‘Best Before’ date is advisory and
tends to be applied to low risk foods and those with a longer shelf
life such as frozen, dried and tinned foods. The ‘best before’
dates are more about quality than safety, so when the date runs out
it doesn’t mean that the food will be harmful, but it might begin
to lose its flavour and texture. While food quality is likely to
decline after the ‘best before’ date has passed, health issues are
not likely to be a problem.
Remember, the ‘best before’ date will only be accurate if the
food is stored according to the instructions on the label, such as
‘store in a cool dry place’ or ‘keep in the fridge once
opened’.
‘Sell by’ and ‘display until’ date marks often appear near or
next to the ‘best before or use by date. They are used by some
shops to help with stock control and are instructions for shop
staff, not shoppers.
Contact
Dover District Council Wasteline:
01304 872428
Email: waste@dover.gov.uk
