Some of us may have stored food or beverage products for a long period of time, without first checking the eligibility date. When we want to reuse the product, we just realize that the date, month, and year listed on the packaging label is close to the expiration date. For those who feel doubtful about the safety of the product, they may prefer to throw it away immediately.
According to a research by the Ministry of PPN/Bappenas in collaboration with Waste4Change and the World Resource Institute, Indonesia produces millions of tons of food waste every year, which is divided into food loss and food waste. The most common type of waste is food waste, which can reach 19 million tons per year.
Food waste is the type of food that passes through the food supply chain until it becomes a final product, of good quality, and suitable for human consumption. However, it is thrown away because it is damaged or expired, making it unfit for consumption.
Basically, the determination of the date of consumption on food and beverage products is divided into two types, namely best before and expiration date. As consumers, we must understand very well that the terms best before and expired date have different meanings, so as not to waste products that are actually still suitable for consumption.
Best Before
Best before is the minimum date of durability of a product for consumption. If Beauties find the words best before or “best used before” on the packaging label, then the product can still be consumed.
It should be noted that the details regarding the date, month, and year stated on the best before indicate the quality of the product, not food safety. So as long as the color, texture, and taste of the product have not changed and there is no strange smell, it can still be consumed even though the quality has decreased and is not as good as the date stated on the best before.
Non-perishable foods such as rice, pasta, frozen food, and canned food that are stored at the correct temperature and place, can last several weeks from the best before date.
Expired Date
Unlike the best before, products with expired date labels indicate the final limit of a product can be used. According to PerBPOM No. 31 of 2018 concerning Processed Food Labels, expiration is the final limit of a food’s guaranteed quality as long as it is stored according to the instructions given by the manufacturer.
If the product you are storing will expire the next day, it should be discarded immediately because the contents of the product are no longer safe or effective. Consuming expired products can cause mild to severe health problems, such as:
- Nausea and diarrhea
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Food poisoning
- Gastrointestinal infection
That’s the difference between the best before and expired date on the packaging label, don’t get the wrong perception and end up wasting it.
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