The right way to read ‘Best By’ or ‘Best Before’ dates
Most people get this wrong and toss out the can
“Best by” labels can be a source of confusion for many consumers. These dates are often found on various food products, including canned goods. However, it’s important to understand that “best by” dates are not strict expiration dates. Instead, they indicate the manufacturer’s estimate of when the product is at its peak quality.
“Best by” dates are not a guarantee of food safety, but rather a suggestion for when the product is expected to be at its freshest and most flavorful. In the case of canned foods, this means that even after the “best by” date has passed, the food may still be safe to consume if stored properly. To maximize the shelf life of canned foods, follow these storage tips:
- Keep canned goods in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and temperature extremes.
- Store cans in an upright position to prevent damage to the seals.
- Rotate your canned food stock by placing newer purchases at the back and using older items first.
- Avoid denting or damaging cans, as this can compromise their seal and safety.
- Consider transferring any leftover canned food to a sealed container and refrigerating it for short-term storage.
In summary, “best by” dates on canned foods are not strict expiration dates but rather suggestions for peak quality. Canned corn, green beans, and tuna can often be used safely for an extended period beyond their “best by” dates, provided they are stored correctly and show no signs of damage or spoilage. Always use your best judgment, and when in doubt, discard any canned product that appears compromised or has an unusual odor, texture, or appearance. Proper storage and regular inspections can help you make the most of your canned goods and reduce food waste.
What is the Difference between Use By & Best Before Dates?
Food labels provide a wide range of information about foods. They show nutritional information, ingredients and a range of different dates. Use by and best before dates (as well as sell by and display by dates) are often confused, but the differences between them are easy to remember once you know what they are.
Use By Dates:
- Use by dates state the time up to which a food is safe to eat.
- They are generally found on high-risk foods which require refrigeration, such as fish, meat products, pre-prepared foods and dairy products.
- Using food after its use-by date can put you at risk of food poisoning. Make sure you pay attention to what the date on the label says.
- Foods that have passed their use-by date may still look OK to eat, but harmful bacteria cannot be seen and does not have a smell.
- Foods labelled with a use-by date should be checked daily to make sure they are still safe to eat.
- Freezing food before its use-by date extends its life. But once defrosted, you should eat the food within 24 hours. Do not freeze food after its use-by date.
Best Before Dates:
- Best-before dates indicate the length of time for which a food will be at its best quality.
- They appear on a wide range of foods including fresh, frozen, dried and tinned.
- Food that has passed its best-before date is not unsafe to eat, but it may lose some of its flavour, texture and quality.
- Best-before dates generally appear on foods with a longer shelf life.
Best Before Dates on Eggs:
- Eggs can be eaten 24-48 hours after their best-before date has passed, providing that they are cooked thoroughly. Cook until the white and yolk are both solid or bake it into another food, such as a cake.
- When the best-before date on eggs has passed, the eggs will deteriorate in quality, and any salmonella present could multiply and make you unwell. In this case, you must cook the eggs thoroughly in order to kill any harmful bacteria.
Sell By and Display Until Dates:
- These often appear next to the use-by and best-before dates on food labelling. They are instructions for the retailers, not customers. So don’t worry about them; they are not important for you to look out for. They do not determine the date past which it is safe to eat the food.
Storing food safely - 'use by' and 'best before' dates
It's important to understand the difference between 'use by', 'best before' and 'display until' dates on the food you buy.
Use by:
- You will see 'use by' dates on food that goes off quickly, such as smoked fish, meat products and ready-prepared salads.
- 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. This is because using it after this date could put your health at risk.
- 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 the day purchased', 'cook from frozen' or 'defrost thoroughly before use and use within 24 hours'.
- It's also important you follow any instructions for cooking and preparation shown on the label.
- 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'.
- But if the 'use by' date is tomorrow, then you must use the food by the end of tomorrow, even if you only opened it today.
Best before:
- 'Best before' dates appear on a wide range of frozen, dried, tinned and other foods.
- The 'best before' dates are more about quality than safety, except for eggs. 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.
- In the UK we end up throwing away 8.3 million tonnes of food and drink every year and most of this could have been eaten. So think carefully before throwing away food that is past its 'best before' date.
- An exception to this is eggs, which have a best before date of no more than 28 days after they are laid. After this date the quality of the egg will deteriorate and if any Salmonella bacteria are present, they could multiply to high levels and could make you ill.
- If you plan to use an egg after its best before date, make sure that you only use it in dishes where it will be fully cooked, so that both yolk and white are solid, such as in a cake or as a hard-boiled egg.
- 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'.
- So, if you want to enjoy the food at its best, use it by its 'best before' date and make sure you follow any instructions.
Display until:
- Date marks such as 'display until' or 'sell by' 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.
- The important dates for you to look for are the 'use by' and 'best before' dates.
There’s a Difference Between ‘Use By’ & ‘Best Before’ in Food Packaging
Are you the type that’s always confused about the dates shown on food packaging? “Aiyah, just eat before the date lah!” Well, this mindset is both right and wrong at the same time. But before I delve further into that, do you know what’s the difference between “Use By” and “Best Before” dates?
Use by date is about safety:
- Use by date is about safety and is also the “final call”.
- Foods can be eaten until the date itself, but not after.
- Even if it still looks fine or smells fine (what people usually say), it is not fine.
- I mean, can you see or smell bacteria?
- For food items such as meat products or ready-to-eat meals, the use by date is usually on the day itself, or just a few days later.
- However, use by dates are not the safest thing to follow. This is because use by dates are often set under the assumption that food will be stored in proper conditions.
- For example, milk. If a carton of milk is going to be consumed within 2 days, it is actually under the assumption that consumers will place the milk in the fridge before drinking.
- So if you leave it at room temperature, it’ll be unsafe for consumption in just a few hours.
- Hence, for the use by date to be valid, consumers must follow storage instructions strictly.
Best before date is about quality:
- Best before date is all about the quality. It literally means when the food is “best before”. So technically, you can still eat food that’s past its best before date!
- Similarly, this date will only be accurate if the proper storage instructions are followed.
Adhere to 'best before' dates? You're wasting good food
Do you religiously abide by the "best before" dates on food packaging? If so, you're wasting good food. Best before" dates on food add to a mountain of waste in Europe and could be scrapped for some long-life produce, a group of European Union states have argued in a discussion paper prepared for an agriculture ministers.
Food waste in the West has become a hot topic because of its environmental and humanitarian implications. A report last year found up to half of the food produced worldwide was wasted because of poor harvesting, storage and transport methods, as well as irresponsible retailer and consumer behaviour. According to figures from the Commission, up to 100 million tonnes of food are wasted in Europe each year, while last year’s report from the London-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers found that between 30 percent and 50 percent of the food which gets to supermarket shelves is wasted – often because of poor understanding of best before and use by dates.
Here in Singapore, we waste some 796,000 tonnes of food, according to National Environment Agency statistics released in March. That is about 1,420 fully loaded Airbus A-380s. A use by date is applied if there is a health risk in eating food after that date, whereas a best before date is more about quality – when it expires it does not necessarily mean food is harmful, but it may lose flavour and texture.
