We all know that when we buy packaged products we must pay close attention to the expiry date and avoid consuming those foods after the day printed on the package. But is it really always like this and does it apply to all foods?
First of all, it is important to clarify the two words that we can find on food packaging, the actual “expiration date” or what is called “minimum shelf life”. Serena Pironi, President of the Order of Food Technologists of Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Marche and Umbria, explains to us in detail the difference between the two names:
There are foods that are more delicate than others in which the expiry date is particularly important, especially foods and drinks of animal origin. Let’s find out better how to store and use them correctly (as well as how to actually consider their expiry date) with the help of food technologist Maria Grazia Venturini.
Yogurt
A food that many people have at home and on which there is a very precise expiry date is yogurt which, however, a few days after the date printed on the package with the words “use by” could actually still be good but only if it has always been stored correctly and has not undergone temperature changes during transport. Of course, after the expiry date, the presence of lactic ferments useful for intestinal motility is no longer guaranteed, a presence that pushes many people to buy and consume yogurt.
Egg
Another very delicate food is eggs, which would always be better to purchase from a trusted farmer so as to be able to verify not only the food the hens are fed but also the conditions in which the animals live, which must have enough space to be able to scratch around freely. In this case he himself, based on when the eggs were laid, will tell you how long they can be preserved. However, if you buy them at the supermarket, the date printed on the package must always be looked at carefully. But not only that, you also need to know how to store and consume them…
Meat
Those who eat meat know how easily this food spoils if not well preserved and how potentially dangerous this can be for one’s health. But is there a difference between the various types? Are there any meats that should be consumed before others given the same expiry date?
Finally, Dr. Venturini gives us some useful suggestions even if we usually freeze and defrost food.
Sometimes for convenience we buy frozen foods or we buy them fresh and after processing them a little we freeze them ourselves. We worry that freezing occurs correctly and we place food in special bags or in practical containers to put in the freezer, but we often underestimate the importance of correct defrosting. Here are the mistakes you shouldn’t make…
What can be consumed after the expiry date
There are foods that can be consumed even after the expiry date or rather the minimum shelf life with peace of mind, naturally checking that they are intact and always considering whether they have been stored correctly all along.
Pasta and rice
Pasta and rice are foods that can generally be consumed even a few months after the date printed on the package. The EU even intends to remove the expiry date on these products to limit food waste. Except for brown rice which instead has a shorter shelf life.
Coffee
The same goes for coffee whose only drawback, if consumed after the expiry date, could be that it loses some of its fragrance and nutritional characteristics. However, this product too could soon be marketed without any date printed on the packaging if the EU continues with its anti-waste initiative.
Sugar
Both white and brown sugar can be considered products with no expiration date. The important thing is to store them in cool, dry places away from sunlight. Certainly if we keep sugar in the pantry for too long it will tend to condense and form lumps but it will not lose its sweetening effectiveness.
Salt
The same thing said for sugar applies to salt which can be consumed even after the expiry date since it does not lose its characteristics and is not subject to attack by microorganisms which can make it dangerous.
Honey
Honey also has a minimum shelf life printed on the package, but apart from being subject to the phenomenon of crystallization, i.e. the fact of passing from the liquid to the solid stage over time, it essentially does not lose its characteristics even after the expiry date.
Other foods to consider
Chocolate
Dark chocolate can also last 1-2 years after the minimum shelf life. The “white patina” that sometimes forms on the surface is not mold but only the crystallization of fats or sugars.
Preserves and jams
If well sealed and not opened, they can last beyond the TMC. Once opened, they should be stored in the fridge and consumed within a few weeks.
Canned products
Legumes, peeled tomatoes, canned tuna can last months or years beyond the date, as long as the can is not swollen, dented or rusted.
Mature cheeses
Unlike fresh cheeses (which have a specific expiration date), mature cheeses such as parmesan or pecorino can last well beyond their expiration date if stored correctly.
Dry biscuits and baked goods
They can be consumed even after the expiry date, although they may lose their fragrance and become less crunchy.
Vinegar and oil
Vinegar practically never expires. Extra virgin olive oil can be consumed beyond the expiry date but it loses organoleptic properties and can go rancid.
Mineral water
It has an expiration date but the water itself does not expire; the date refers to the plastic of the bottle.
