Do you abide by useby dates on food

I had some saltine crackers "go off". I did not know crackers would do that. They smelled like paint.

I have some whole cloves in the pantry that still smell and look ok but have to be decades old. I use them them to decorate oranges at Christmas to make the house smell good. Don't think I would eat them though.

I understand vinegar is basically shelf stable and can be kept, even open, for years.
 
DebraMae said:
I had some saltine crackers "go off". I did not know crackers would do that. They smelled like paint.

I have some whole cloves in the pantry that still smell and look ok but have to be decades old. I use them them to decorate oranges at Christmas to make the house smell good. Don't think I would eat them though.

I understand vinegar is basically shelf stable and can be kept, even open, for years.
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apparently Honey never goes off, regardless of how old it is.... I would say the same could be said about salt...

I have a box of bottled water which definitely goes off. It's just the supermarket own brand water which I use to have a bottle by my bed and take a bottle out in the car with. me. The house is warm.. so I'm presuming that's what causes the water in my bedroom to go bad after 2 days.. it's a disgusting taste as well.. there's no mistaking water when it goes bad.. but 2 days...never had that before... I'm going to try a different brand of water next time..
 
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By the way with salads, I wash all very very thoroughly. Eating raw vegetables must be good for us but risky too.
I wash really well, wrap in a clean tea towel then store my salad in a plastic box. I prepare a fresh salad of lettuce, cucumber, celery and peppers daily, to eat with lunch and dinner.

I worry what could be lurking on these salad items, including any pesticides.
 
We have a store in my town that sells expired or close to sale date, everything but produce. That's all they carry. They do a great deal of business. They have just about everything you can imagine. Christmas cookies in June, Easter candy in November. Lots of cheeses, chips, and frozen products. "Best by" dates are a suggestion, it doesn't mean you will get sick if you eat it.
 
BC Flash said:
I love "mark downs" - usually a few days before the "best by" dates. It goes into the freezer with a "red circle around the date" - easy to "rotate the stock". Never had a "bad experience with any meat, including chicken and fish.
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I do this too. I just cook it that day. Sometimes I'll freeze it but also mark it so I use as soon as it thaws.
 
I can spot a 'reduced' sticker at 50 paces. This usually means that the product is on or at its sell by date, but generally is good for quite a while.
Like others, I rely on sight, smell and taste to judge whether food is OK. I'm sure a lot of perfectly goo food is wasted because of strict adherence to 'use by'dates.

As for water 'going off', I think it's not the water, but chemicals in the plastic container. I suspect that if it was in a glass bottle, it would be OK.
 
Yes, I abide by the dates. In fact, I just cleaned my cupboards and tossed a lot of stuff. I figured if I haven’t eaten by the time it’s close to or past expiration, I’m not going to eat it now. I have a good nose for smelling dairy and bread when they’re about to go bad, so I toss those.

Here’s a dairy tip: Look at the expiration dates on organic milk and half and half versus the non-organic. The organic is a month or more out. It’s more expensive, but it keeps longer. Anyone know why?
 
Daisy the Dog said:
Yes, I abide by the dates. In fact, I just cleaned my cupboards and tossed a lot of stuff. I figured if I haven’t eaten by the time it’s close to or past expiration, I’m not going to eat it now. I have a good nose for smelling dairy and bread when they’re about to go bad, so I toss those.

Here’s a dairy tip: Look at the expiration dates on organic milk and half and half versus the non-organic. The organic is a month or more out. It’s more expensive, but it keeps longer. Anyone know why?
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I always buy organic milk and half and half. It's amazing how long it lasts.

Here's why:

"Organic milk lasts longer because producers use a different process to preserve it. According to the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, the milk needs to stay fresh longer because organic products often have to travel farther to reach store shelves since it is not produced throughout the country.

The process that gives the milk a longer shelf life is called ultrahigh temperature (UHT) processing or treatment, in which milk is heated to 280 degrees Fahrenheit (138 degrees Celsius) for two to four seconds, killing any bacteria in it.

Compare that to pasteurization, the standard preservation process. There are two types of pasteurization: "low temperature, long time," in which milk is heated to 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) for at least 30 minutes*, or the more common "high temperature, short time," in which milk is heated to roughly 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for at least 15 seconds.

The different temperatures hint at why UHT-treated milk lasts longer: Pasteurization doesn’t kill all bacteria in the milk, just enough so that you don't get a disease with your milk mustache. UHT, on the other hand, kills everything.

Retailers typically give pasteurized milk an expiration date of four to six days. Ahead of that, however, was up to six days of processing and shipping, so total shelf life after pasteurization is probably up to two weeks. Milk that undergoes UHT doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can sit on the shelf for up to six months.

Regular milk can undergo UHT, too. The process is used for the room-temperature Parmalat milk found outside the refrigerator case and for most milk sold in Europe."

Why does organic milk last so much longer than regular milk? > https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-organic-milk-lasts-longer/
 
Bella said:
I always buy organic milk and half and half. It's amazing how long it lasts.

Here's why:

"Organic milk lasts longer because producers use a different process to preserve it. According to the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, the milk needs to stay fresh longer because organic products often have to travel farther to reach store shelves since it is not produced throughout the country.

The process that gives the milk a longer shelf life is called ultrahigh temperature (UHT) processing or treatment, in which milk is heated to 280 degrees Fahrenheit (138 degrees Celsius) for two to four seconds, killing any bacteria in it.

Compare that to pasteurization, the standard preservation process. There are two types of pasteurization: "low temperature, long time," in which milk is heated to 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) for at least 30 minutes*, or the more common "high temperature, short time," in which milk is heated to roughly 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for at least 15 seconds.

The different temperatures hint at why UHT-treated milk lasts longer: Pasteurization doesn’t kill all bacteria in the milk, just enough so that you don't get a disease with your milk mustache. UHT, on the other hand, kills everything.

Retailers typically give pasteurized milk an expiration date of four to six days. Ahead of that, however, was up to six days of processing and shipping, so total shelf life after pasteurization is probably up to two weeks. Milk that undergoes UHT doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can sit on the shelf for up to six months.

Regular milk can undergo UHT, too. The process is used for the room-temperature Parmalat milk found outside the refrigerator case and for most milk sold in Europe."

Why does organic milk last so much longer than regular milk? > https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-organic-milk-lasts-longer/
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Cool beans! Thank you!
 
Bella said:
I always buy organic milk and half and half. It's amazing how long it lasts.

Here's why:

"Organic milk lasts longer because producers use a different process to preserve it. According to the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, the milk needs to stay fresh longer because organic products often have to travel farther to reach store shelves since it is not produced throughout the country.

The process that gives the milk a longer shelf life is called ultrahigh temperature (UHT) processing or treatment, in which milk is heated to 280 degrees Fahrenheit (138 degrees Celsius) for two to four seconds, killing any bacteria in it.

Compare that to pasteurization, the standard preservation process. There are two types of pasteurization: "low temperature, long time," in which milk is heated to 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) for at least 30 minutes*, or the more common "high temperature, short time," in which milk is heated to roughly 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for at least 15 seconds.

The different temperatures hint at why UHT-treated milk lasts longer: Pasteurization doesn’t kill all bacteria in the milk, just enough so that you don't get a disease with your milk mustache. UHT, on the other hand, kills everything.

Retailers typically give pasteurized milk an expiration date of four to six days. Ahead of that, however, was up to six days of processing and shipping, so total shelf life after pasteurization is probably up to two weeks. Milk that undergoes UHT doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can sit on the shelf for up to six months.

Regular milk can undergo UHT, too. The process is used for the room-temperature Parmalat milk found outside the refrigerator case and for most milk sold in Europe."

Why does organic milk last so much longer than regular milk? > https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-organic-milk-lasts-longer/
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Ultra pasteurized milk tastes different to me. Am I the only one? I bought it a couple of times but no more.
 
I don't too much. I've bought things at Grocery Outlet Bargain Market just ready to expire, no problems. Shelf stable things like dry cereal and unrefrigerated soy barista milk. That got down to 69 cents a quart. What a bargain. Should have got more.

I found some cans for the ferals I forgot about. One can expired last november. I gave it to them last Sunday. It seemed fine and they were all alive this morning and eating.
 
I do and then I don't. Strange? Yes!

When you've got to buy the cheapest brand of fridge and freezer for the lowest prices you can afford, there's plenty of food spoilage.

However, we got rid of 15+ years old appliances and replaced with one 50/50 fridge/freezer combo. Reduced the amount of electricity used, A+. Now, putting breads in there, haven't lost a loaf yet, A+.

Deli in crisper keeps fresher longer as well as second crisper means that we can enjoy our leafy veggies much longer.

What a difference... A new appliance make, a year of pleasure, fresher food and savings. A++++++
 
I defrost the freezers every now and then, and last week I found a haddock fillot sealed in plastic. I defrosted it, and cooked it, and ate it, and it was deliscious, then I discovered a 2016 sell by date on the packet, so whilst it was frozen the sell-by date was frozen too, so I have no worries of eating anything from the deep freeze. ☺️
 
Dried foodstuff is debatable, powders and similar things,
tinned stuff to a little over, if the inside is sealed to keep
the food away from the tin!
Gaer said:
Yes, I check the dates.
Confused about eggs though. How long are they still good in the fridge?
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Eggs are another debatable subject, I don't keep them in the fridge,
not many people in the UK do, but the Chinese allegedly have 200
year old eggs, if the shell is sealed, with something like gelatine, it
keeps the air out and the egg fresh, but I don't fancy trying one.

Everything should be fresh, but not always, use your nose if in doubt.

Mike.
 
Most of the time. What worry about non perishable items? It may lose a little of its composition, but otherwise, it's probably OK.
 
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