Foods that can be safely eaten even if they are expired
What to do if a food has already expired its expiration date? Should we discard it or are there still options to put it on the table? The answers to these questions are offered by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU). If we are talking about an expiration date, we can put our health at risk, but if it is a mere best-before date, this danger is diluted. Having made this differentiation – crucial in Consumption -, the OCU includes in a list 10 foods that, according to the experts of said association, can be ingested days or even weeks after said date “as long as they are not opened or show signs of being deteriorated.” they warn. “Of course, they may have a worse flavor or texture,” they clarify.
These products that we can avoid throwing away at the first opportunity are the following:
– Yogurts
– Bread
– French fries and nuts
– Buns and cookies
– Soft drinks and alcohol
– Pastas, rice and legumes
– Jam and butter
– Cured sausages and cheeses
– Soups and sauces
– Tomato packaging
– Food classified as ‘non-perishable’
Likewise, there are foods that do not have an expiration date or a best-before date. This is the case of alcoholic beverages with a strength greater than 10% of the volume; fresh fruits and vegetables; bread and pastries consumed within 24 hours, vinegar, salt, sugar or chewing gum, among others. That does not mean that the advancement of the calendar ends up affecting them. “There are wines that, far from improving, deteriorate over time and even if they do not pose a health risk, they greatly reduce the quality of the product,” highlights the consumer association.
«For fruits and vegetables, the palate is the best thermometer. The appearance, taste, texture and smell of the food allow us to know what state it is in. They can be eaten if they are not excessively poached or deteriorated. It is important to remove rotten or moldy areas, removing a good piece around them, at least a centimeter or even a little more,” they clarify.
Caution with meat and fish
What it is advisable to take all precautions with is meat and fish, “which go bad quickly.” «After the expiration date, you should refrain from eating meat, fish or fresh cheese. The risk may arise even before that date if the food has not been preserved at adequate temperatures. There is a possibility that they carry microbes and some of them, when proliferating, trigger poisoning and diseases,” they conclude.