Written by Susan Wright
Americans throw away way too much food, many times in reaction to a date printed on the packaging. Perhaps as consumers we should use a little common sense as well.
1.)Those darn dates.
Nobody wants food poisoning, but when you are holding a canned good that’s past its expiration date – is it really a problem? It may not be peak flavor, but if the can is in good condition, the contents should be perfectly safe. What about a box of pasta that expired a few months ago? If it looks normal it may be a little stale, but quite safe. Cereal and crackers are the same, they get stale, but if they remain dry they won’t make you sick.
Infant Formula has strict federal guidelines on expiration dates, but everything else? Not really, rules vary state to state. “Sell Buy” dates are for the retailers use. They have nothing to do with you. “Use By” and “Expiration” mostly refer to peak of freshness. Peak of Freshness is subjective, and if you are trying to sell more cans of tomatoes, you benefit from consumers throwing away and buying new cans. Shelf stable foods like boxes of pasta or cereals, may go stale eventually, but won’t make you sick unless perhaps you let them get wet.
2.)What is bad?
Mold is bad, when it is growing on bread, throw out the entire loaf. On hard cheeses you can just cut off the moldy bits. Watch out for food that smells bad, or feels slimy, those can go right in the trash as well. Misshapen canned goods can go in the trash. Canned goods can last for years, even past their expiration, but not when the can gets puffy or dented. Frozen foods with lots of crystals have probably thawed and refrozen several times. This probably won’t taste good and may actually be bad.
Raw ground meats go bad in a day or two. All that surface area that has had exposure to chopping blades and hands make perfect nooks and crannies for bacteria that could make you sick. That’s also why there are recommended internal temperatures for cooking – please do kill the bad bacteria! Deli lunch meats tend to degrade in a few days, but it’ll probably get a little slimy so it is not a mystery.
3.)What is good?
Don’t be in a hurry to throw out canned goods, shelf stable foods or frozen foods. These items have staying power. Remember that those expiration and use by dates don’t have a lot of hard science behind them. Use some common sense.
4.)Traditionally bad foods.
Mayonnaise comes quickly to mind as the culprit in food poisoning. In reality it is more likely that which was mixed in with the mayo that had the problem! Nevertheless, watch how long you leave foods sitting out a picnic. The mayo may be fine but that bacteria on your knife when you cut up the potatoes could be multiplying in your potato salad!
5.)Cross Contamination.
If you are cutting up chicken, forget about putting anything else on that cutting board until it has been well washed with soap and hot water. Likewise your fingers may be carrying contamination from just putting the dirty knife by the sink. While cutting up meat also be aware of where you put your hands; did you open a drawer or answer the phone? Those are subtle ways you may be spreading bacteria across your kitchen.
