How Important Is The Expiration Date On Foods?

Sometimes we give the expiration date on foods  the importance it deserves. Other times, however, we are not paying enough attention to it. The truth is, though, that the expiration date on foods is incredibly important.

In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about expiration dates and how to know if you can eat foods that have exceeded the date.

What does the expiration date on foods mean?

An expiration date is a chart for measuring the shelf life of a food. In other words, it’s a number that tells you about the time between production and deterioration.

The date also takes into account several factors such as temperature, light and oxygen. These factors can cause the expiration date of foods to change.

A food can be exposed to various types of expiration. Either way, they all need to be controlled through conservation techniques. It includes things like refrigeration and freezing. 

That way, your food can stay in good shape for a long time.

Either way, the date is important. This is especially true if the food is perishable. That kind of food could have a health risk if ingested. This is especially true of dairy products and meat.

You may not be aware of this, but there are certain foods that must have an expiration date or “best before” date – it is determined by law.

Among them we can find wine and alcoholic beverages with more than 10% alcohol. While it is true that time can degrade these goods, there is not a health risk associated with them.

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How to find the expiration date on foods

The expiration date on foods is not used in the same way on all foods. In fact, it is used in several ways:

• Foods that cannot last for more than 3 months  should say “best before” or “least durable until” on their packaging. It must be followed by the date and the month.
• If the food can last for more than three months, the date should show the month and year. 
• If you can store the food for more than 18 months, it must tell the year it expires.

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What happens to food that has exceeded its expiration date?

First , the longer it is on the shelf, the worse the quality of the food. 

This may be due to the following things:

• Temperature changes
• Physical transfers of things such as oxygen, fragrances and dyes
• Sunlight

If you want to know about the shelf life of certain foods, see if these changes have started. You will eventually be able to see the deterioration.

Pay attention to the temperature during storage

There is one thing you need to constantly pay attention to when it comes to storage: the temperature of the products.

If the food is exposed to a sudden and constant change in temperature, you may risk a health problem.

The longer the time with higher temperature, the greater the risk of contamination.

Microorganisms grow rapidly between 20 and 60 degrees. If this happens then your food may be completely spoiled in a matter of hours.

In addition, pay attention to the thawing process of the food. You can already expose the food to bacteria.

To avoid all this, store your food properly:

• Keep track of the temperature so that the microorganisms do not multiply.
• Most foods should be kept between 1 and 5 degrees.