Shelf life: when does which food have to go?

durability
When does which food have to go?

Let's say what it is like: Many people confuse "Best before" with "Immediately fatal". There are foods that can still be eaten without hesitation if the best-before date (best before date) has been exceeded. The food saver app "Too good to go" has therefore launched the "often good for longer" notice, which manufacturers can stick on their products right next to the best before date (among others, Alnatura and Danone). Tafel Deutschland states that a piece of cheese can still be edible for up to three weeks after the best-before date, as can eggs and butter. According to this, jam should still be edible for up to six months after the best-before date, sugar, flour and pasta even for up to a year.

Expired? This is how the quick check works

No to fur wearers! Green-whitish mold is not only disgusting, it is also harmful to health. What is even worse is what you cannot see: Mycotoxins, toxic metabolic products from mold, which, among other things, increase the risk of cancer, cause liver and kidney damage and changes in the genetic material, and can weaken the immune system. And: Even if you remove the visible mold on fruit, bread & Co., the inside can be colorless Mycotoxins have spread. The generous snipping away of the moldy area is of no use, and neither is frying or baking, because the beasts are mostly heat-resistant. Means: better dispose of contaminated food.

Incidentally, the aflatoxins, also from the group of mycotoxins, are even more blatant – even small amounts can irreparably damage the liver. They attack, for example, spices, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and grains. If you discover even the slightest trace of mold in a pack of these foods, please dispose of them immediately. When it comes to nibbles like nuts, it makes sense to rely on your sense of taste. Rancid? Musty? Furry? Could infestation mean getting rid of it.

With spices, it is important to pay attention to the best before date. Mold is often not noticed in ground products. He has an easy job there: Spices are often near the stove, the cooking vapors bring in moisture and mold can develop. So here too, it's better to dispose of it earlier than too late.

Checkpoint 1

Look: no mold in or on it? Is everything optically normal? Great, then on to:

Checkpoint 2

Smell: Is the smell fresh and actually the same as always? Perfect, go on to:

Checkpoint 3

Try: not different than usual? Then enjoy it!

The durability traffic light

green

Food that often has a longer shelf life: canned goods, sweets, chips, frozen foods, alcohol, pasta, flour, sauces, ice cream.

yellow

Food that should be checked carefully (see box on the left!) If the use-by date has been exceeded: milk, yoghurt, juices, cheese, cream.

red

Food for which the alarm bells should ring when the best before date has been exceeded: fish, meat, nuts, spices.

Would you like to read more about the topic and exchange ideas with other women? Then take a look in the "General Forum" of the BRIGITTE Community past!

BRIGITTE BE GREEN 02/2020