Know Your “Dates” - Waste Less Food!
Until the late 1970s, food was commonly packaged in glass jars because glass is inert and does not react with its contents. It also allowed consumers to visually judge perceived freshness.
With the advent of canned food, where the contents could no longer be seen, manufacturers began adding labels to increase transparency.
Then in the 1990s, Pepsi did something that turned things around forever. As part of their marketing strategy they put “expiry dates” on each and every bottle. Before this, people weren’t exactly worried about soda going stale - but now, people wanted to make sure that they were drinking before that date…. More soda, more sales.
This tactic then became the norm for all food products, even for products that could definitely last longer than the use-by date.
In truth, “best use by” dates are not the indicators of safety, but more to do with the “intended quality” - not that the food will poison you if you eat it a month after the expiry date.
Neither the USDA nor the FDA makes it mandatory for food companies to put expiry dates (except for baby formula). In India, however, FSSAI (India) 2020 has made the inclusion of “best used by” dates mandatory on labels.
And therefore, many people discard perfectly good food simply because a certain given date has passed.
Bottom line: Regardless of the expiry date, consumers should evaluate the quality of the food before consumption or before deciding to throw it away.
Zareer Patell
#FoodFacts #ExpiryDates #FoodWaste #NutritionAwareness #ConsumerEducation #FoodSafety #HealthLiteracy #EatSmart #PublicHealth #FoodIndustry #LabelingLaws #MindfulEating
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