They should be kept in the refrigerator with a temperature of 4-6 degrees Celsius. There are defined conditions for the storage of perishable foods. So, can food items, whether they are perishable or not, be consumed even after the ‘best before’ dates? “No. But it’s important to have a mention of the date of manufacture and batch on a packaged food,” she says. “Usually, expiry dates are not relevant to foods and used more for drugs. In the new labelling and display regulations, as per the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), packaged food brands need to mandatorily display ‘use by’ or expiry date instead of ‘best before’ date, present nutritional information on the principal display panel in bigger font sizes and ensure that the name of the food and vegetarian and non-vegetarian classification symbol are on the front side of the pack with effect from January 1, 2022.Īccording to Dr Jagmeet Madan, national president, Indian Dietetic Association, the ‘best before’ date is used normally for perishable fresh foods like milk, bread and juices, which need to be used within a stipulated period of time.

Sawan 2022: The dos and don’ts of fasting while praying to Lord Shiva For instance, condiments, breads, canned goods or snacks can still be consumed after their ‘best before’ dates if placed under suitable temperature conditions, unless they do not taste stale or lose flavour. After this date, the taste and quality may start to deteriorate. It suggests a quality assurance date until which the taste and quality of food are at their peak. Here’s the difference which we sometimes tend to ride roughshod over-a product with a ‘best before’ date means any pre-packaged food product must have a durable shelf life, which is mentioned on the label, along with proper storage instructions. Experts say not all grocery products get into the garbage some have an extended shelf life and can be used for a longer period. However, consuming food past the ‘best before’, ‘use by’, ‘sell by’ or ‘freeze by’ date isn’t always bad. Most people have a habit of tossing items-be it oat milk or dough, jams or Italian cheese-out of the freezer or pantry after they cross the ‘best before’ or expiry date. If you routinely check the ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date on the label of a packaged food item before consuming it, you’re not alone.

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