We are all concerned with food safety and consuming what we buy and expect some degree of honesty on the part of manufactures and retailers. But, as I have posted before, there are several areas of concern that are still confusing. Perhaps it is the “sell by”, “best by”, “use by”, “expires on”, labels that cause most of us to discard food even though it is still fine to use. As consumers, we trust that these are reliable guidelines and believe that they are helpful. But, this belief is far from the truth.
First and foremost, there are no federal regulations that are required to sell most foods. The regulations are left to the states and many do not have any laws as to labeling. The map below is from a recent report from the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic:
First and foremost, there are no federal regulations that are required to sell most foods. The regulations are left to the states and many do not have any laws as to labeling. The map below is from a recent report from the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic:
There is no easy way to advise any of us to know when a food is safe or not. We are not guaranteed that we are buying food without salmonella, lead, or other contaminant. In fact, we cannot even be certain where the food is grown and packaged. China is working with a number of US manufacturers to save money. But, we can use some common sense when dealing with everyday foods. First, refrigerate at 40 F or lower to preserve foods that have refrigeration as a requirement. Second, cook all meat to recommended temperatures. Third, use reasonable care in handling and preparation. I have a link to the United States Agricultural Department, (USDA) that has a quick Q & A and general guidelines for reference here. I believe that it is very conservative and I generally try to buy only what I can reasonably use, and try to avoid throwing away such a valuable resource. Bon Appetite!
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