Tuesday 16 February 2021

More about 'Best Before'.

 

Why is it that instructions often say 'Best before end June', rather than 'Best before July'?

A more precise instruction might say 'Best before July, very good before August, still OK before September, but may have gone off by October'.

When going through those cupboards, or fridge, searching for 'out of date' foods, it might simply be wise to look for packaging offering a 'Chance to win a Sinclair C5, or Tickets to the World Cup Final in Mexico'. These are a good hint.

Other serious signs include seeing the price marked in pounds, shillings, and pence; or even a nasty pong!

I hope this has been of help.

28 comments:

  1. I've not seen "Best before end of...'. Finding the oldest food stuff in your cupboards is as semi regular subject for talk back radio.

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    Replies
    1. They try to frighten us with all sorts of wording.

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  2. That started our day with a good laugh.

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  3. It's pancake day. Don't use flour with wriggly creatures in or eggs more than six weeks old. Salt and sugar should be fine but brown lemons are to be avoided.

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    1. Is it really Pancake Day? I shall have to avoid it (I'm not too good cooking pancakes).

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    2. I find the first three or four are a bit iffy but after that they work fine.
      Try crepes much the same thing but the French can do them.

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  4. Hello Cro,

    Well, we can certainly remember the good old days of no 'best before' dates. Observation which detected the depth of green mould was seemingly all that was needed to sort out the good from the bad and from the downright ugly.

    Perhaps these were also the days of "if it does not kill you, it will make you stronger" and it is truly incredible how one has survived to tell the tale.

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    1. I'm still prone to occasionally scraping green mould from the top of home-made jams. My typing fingers are still in good order.

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  5. It's when you come across a package with no date at all on it that you might be concerned. (I think date labelling started in the early '70s.)

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    Replies
    1. That's almost pre-history. Or, at least, pre-food-history.

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  6. Before we moved house I definitely had some pre-historic herbs and spices in my cupboard.

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    Replies
    1. Of the 'grey' variety, I presume. I think I have some too.

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  7. Reminds me of when we left bed in Crete. We had a friend who worked in the navy's freezers. He said they still had meat from the 2nd world war (that was in the 80s). He often gave us frozen meat, no date on it but I have to believe it was just a little 'fresher'. Tasted ok

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    1. I think I have some of that in my freezer. Every so often I delve into the depths, and either eat it; or chuck!

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  8. Even bottled water has a best before and sell by date on it. I can only presume that after a certain amount of time the plastic from the bottle leaks into it.

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  9. How on earth did we manage pre sell by/best before dates ? I don’t remember people being ill from eating out of date food ..... you just used your common sense. The only thing I’m a bit wary of is fish/ shellfish if it’s past it’s use by date but even that has probably got a few days grace. XXXX

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    Replies
    1. Frozen fish seems OK. I wouldn't keep fresh fish for more than a day!

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  10. When I buy dried spices, I write the month and year I bought them on the jar with a dark marker. They do have a date on them but it is written so small that it is too hard to see. Spices lose their flavor after awhile especially after they have been opened. I go thru them all a few times a year and throw away anything that has gotten past a reasonable date.

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    Replies
    1. I have a jar of Chinese 5 Spice powder that is about 20 years old. It's still as fragrant today as it was when I bought it.

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  11. When my food starts walking out of the pantry under its own steam I know it is probably past its best.

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  12. Strange that the EU haven't offered you a post as a food standards adviser.

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  13. I wouldn't worry about expired canned goods. I would carefully be inspecting boxed and bagged things because those might accumulate some extra protein (stored products pests). We received a very large donation of food at the pantry. Looks like Jesus and his brother went through their pantries and pulled the expired stuff out and sent it to us. We can't use it by law. I gave two boxes away to a young woman who was glad for it. Frustrating, because really, it was probably just fine. Although some of it dated back to 2015.

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    1. I did recently show a tin of Baked Beans (the well known ones) that had been sent by my youngest son from Australia to France as part of a total removal. The tins are rusty and very old. I decided to open one, and it was fine!

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