When we buy food, we often notice labels with " best before " or " best before " printed on them . These dates usually refer to the food's peak quality and taste, not its safety. In this article, we’ll explore what these dates mean and how you can extend their shelf life while keeping your food safe.
The Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety mentioned that the "Use By" date on food is related to food safety. Food is still safe to eat until its expiration date, but it is no longer safe to eat after it has passed its expiration date. "Use by" dates are common on foods that spoil quickly, such as meat products or ready-to-eat salads.
What is the meaning of the best before date and the best after date?
Best before dates are usually used for more perishable foods such as fresh meat, fresh fish and eggs. This date is the last day the food can be kept at its best in terms of quality and safety. However, even after this date, the food is still safe to eat, but the quality and taste may be reduced.
Best before dates are usually used for less perishable foods, such as canned goods, dried fruits and cookies. This date indicates that the food is at its peak taste and quality, but the food may still be safe to eat after this date.
How to extend the shelf life of food
1. How to store food
The method of storing food is crucial to extending its shelf life. When storing foods, they should be placed in a dry, cool, dark and ventilated place. Refrigeration and freezing can effectively extend the shelf life of food. Frozen foods can be kept fresh for months.
2. Proper cooking and storage methods
The way you cook foods and how you store them can also affect their shelf life. When cooking food, make sure it is fully cooked to avoid bacterial contamination. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in airtight containers to extend their shelf life.
3. Pay attention to the storage time of food
Even if the food's best before date and best before date have not expired, storing food for a long time may cause it to spoil. Therefore, attention should be paid to the storage time of food to avoid storing expired food for a long time.
Summarize
The best before date and best tasting date are not the same as the safety period of the food. Foods can be safely eaten after these dates, but to keep food safe you should be careful about how you store, cook and store foods to extend their shelf life.