In daily life, many people regard the shelf life as the limit for food to deteriorate and become inedible. However, there have been media reports recently that EU countries plan to cancel the shelf life of some foods such as dried noodles, rice and coffee. Because a report from the European Union pointed out that as much as 89 million tons of food was wasted every year. Experts say that the shelf life is not the final date for foods such as bread and biscuits

However, it is learned to judge whether “expired food” can be consumed.

Shelf life ≠ the last edible time, but too long storage time will affect the taste

Many people equate the expiration date with the last usable date, and throw it away once it exceeds.

In this regard, nutrition experts pointed out that the definition of shelf life is "the quality assurance period of a product under normal conditions." During the shelf life, the merchants are responsible for the quality of the products, so it is recommended that you consume them during the shelf life, but the shelf life is not the only criterion for determining whether the food has deteriorated. During the shelf life, food may also deteriorate prematurely due to changes in storage methods, environment and other factors. For example, after the package is opened, the shelf life will be shortened; beyond the shelf life, the food does not necessarily deteriorate and cannot be eaten. This requires your own judgment.

According to reports, the shelf life is not equal to the last edible time. After the expiration date, some foods are still edible from the perspective of safety, but their quality may decline to some extent. For example, after the frozen food expires, the pathogenic bacteria may not exceed the standard, and there is no adverse reaction after cooking. However, due to the long storage time, the flavor and taste have changed, the taste is not fresh, the vitamin content has also decreased, and the fat may be Slight oxidation occurs.

Of course, if you want to know whether a certain food is edible after its expiry date, you need to judge by yourself, so please ask experts to teach some tips.

staple food

The shelf life of bread is generally 3-7 days. After the shelf life, if it is only dry, it can be eaten as bread crumbs. If it is moldy and sour, it cannot be eaten. The condition of steamed buns is similar to that of bread. If they are mildewed with gray spots, they should be discarded. The biscuits have low water content. If they are sealed in a sealed package, the shelf life is generally more than one year. As long as they are not leaking or damp, even after the expiration date, they can generally be eaten as long as the taste does not change.

Milk and dairy products

After the expiration date, if the milk is in a thick and uneven solution, or has lumps or flocs, throw it away. In the summer, even if it looks normal, try to cook it. If a clot occurs after boiling, it means that the bacteria exceeds the standard and you cannot drink it. Milk powder has no moisture, has a long shelf life, and does not have a long expiration time. As long as there is no dark color, no visible impurities or foreign matter, no stale, musty, or stale smell, you can still eat it.

If it's only slightly agglomerated, it can be used as a snack or dish, and continue to be used by heating.

Dried fruits

The shelf life of vacuum-packed dried fruits is as long as six months to one year, but once the package is opened, problems during the shelf life are also very likely. Therefore, this kind of food should be thrown away as long as it smells of scents and other peculiarities, and is bitter and sour after eating. If the taste is not crispy, it means that it has absorbed water, it will quickly deteriorate, mold, and oxidize.

Meat products such as sausages

If it is vacuum packaged and placed in a dry and frozen condition, the nutrition will be worse, and the shelf life can reach 3 years. After the expiration date, if there is a smell of slaw or sticky casing, it means that microorganisms have multiplied and cannot be eaten anymore.

drinks

Generally, the package is airtight. After the expiration date, if the appearance does not change significantly, there is no fading, turbidity, precipitation, etc., the taste shall prevail. If there is a peculiar smell, you cannot drink it.

Canned food

The canned food is in hermetic packaging, so the shelf life is longer. Be careful not to buy an expansion tank when buying. If the shelf life is over and the can bulge occurs, the food is often contaminated with bacteria, and the can must be thrown away. If the can is not inflated, open it and smell it. If it has a sour and unpleasant taste, you cannot eat it. If there is rust in the tank, it should not be eaten. In addition, after the expiration date, even if the taste does not change, you should reheat it before eating.

The shelf life of ice cream has nothing to do with its quality. "Deformed appearance" ice cream is easy to breed bacteria

In the scorching summer, eating a root ice cream is naturally "cool". However, they are all ice cream, some have a shelf life of only half a year, and some have a shelf life of up to two years.

In this regard, industry insiders said that the difference in the shelf life of ice cream is mainly due to the different ingredients. For example, the shelf life of ice cream containing fruits or nuts is generally shorter than that of a single flavored ice cream. The shelf life of ice cream containing mung bean or red bean ingredients is generally not more than 18 month.

The relevant person in the quality supervision department also said that the length of the shelf life of cold drinks is not directly related to their quality. As long as they are strictly controlled under low temperature storage conditions, there will be no food safety hazards.

At the same time, nutrition experts reminded that some ice creams are not kept under strict control of low temperature during transportation or sales, causing melting, and then being frozen again to cause the appearance of deformation. Such ice cream consumers should purchase with caution. Because the melted ice cream is easy to breed bacteria, even if it is re-frozen, it is impossible to completely kill the microorganisms, which may cause food hygiene and safety issues.

EU countries plan to take measures or cancel the shelf life of rice and coffee

According to statistics, 89 million tons of food in EU countries are thrown into trash cans every year, causing huge waste. To this end, EU countries plan to take countermeasures, such as dry noodles, rice and coffee, and other foods' shelf life may be cancelled in the future.

Recently, the ministers of agriculture of the EU countries will hold a meeting. German media pointed out that the Netherlands and Sweden may propose to cancel the shelf life of some foods at the meeting. In addition, the German Retailers Association also plans to cancel the maximum shelf life of some foods, making them "non-expiring foods". These foods may include tea, coffee, dried noodles and hard cheeses. It is reported that some commodities, such as sugar, salt and honey, are no longer compulsory to indicate their shelf life. Greenpeace requires that the types be further expanded.

Experts said that this is a significant step. The expansion of food types will reduce waste, because many people regard the shelf life as the limit of food deterioration and inedibility.