Use by date..

CDaniels1987

So I have something in the fridge which has a use by date of today (31st), does that mean it has to be used before 31st or it can be used on the 31st?

Was thinking of having it for dinner later tonight, but don't want to if it's gone off or anything.

stephen77

It use by 11:59pm on the 31st.

That is when retailer will say the product will be fine up to.

sexki11en

The dates are just a guide.

Use your common sense. If it smells or looks gone off, then it probably is. If it looks & smells fine then it probably is.

SK x

LadyDee

In the 'good old days' we just used our eyes and nose - nor did we have a fridge in the really good old days.

VfM4meplse

I have made myself a delicious icy smoothie this afternoon using natural yoghurt that was supposed to be consumed 3 weeks ago. Not dead yet

browneyedbazzi

OP - the use-by date means it will be safe to use up until the end of the day on the label (provided it has been correctly stored) so you will be fine to use it for supper today.

LadyDee wrote: »

In the 'good old days' we just used our eyes and nose - nor did we have a fridge in the really good old days.

Yep, and in the 'good old days' way more people suffered from food poisoning.

stephen77

LadyDee wrote: »

In the 'good old days' we just used our eyes and nose - nor did we have a fridge in the really good old days.

But in the good old days. They were not eating chicken tikka masala that the smell and colour of the sauce will mask any rancidity / off aroma etc.
Other items such as cheese are much easier to tell.
But I am not in favour of blanket rules when people health MAY be at risk.

While I agree on use by dates are a guide. Its not as simple as just saying use your eyes and nose on certain products especially for the elderly / infirm etc.

Plus lots more people used to get food poisoning many years ago.

A._Badger

stephen77 wrote: »

Plus lots more people used to get food poisoning many years ago.

Have you any hard evidence to back that? People say it but I'm not convinced.

I agree with the point about ready meals with 'exotic' ingredients masking condition, though. I think they also mask the sort of poor quality ingredients we wouldn't have tolerated in times gone buy - which is one of the reasons the food trade and supermarkets have been so keen to 'enlighten' us.

MysteryMe

I'm not sure there are less cases of food poisoning now, if anything those people brought up in sterile conditions seem to have a less robust constitution.

Unless you are in one of the at risk groups I'd still use eyes and nose rather than just a date.

stephen77

A._Badger wrote: »

Have you any hard evidence to back that? People say it but I'm not convinced.
.

No evidence to hand. But read plenty in my younger years.

Some of the older food poisoning cases have been a result of foods that have been contaminated from bacteria.
If the sniff test was all that was required. These deaths would not have occurred.
Hence why I do not trust the sniff test like some people do on here. This is more relevant to foods that you do not cook, rather than foods you are going to cook at home.

BobQ

I have never treated best buy dates that seriously. There is no logical reason why an item that is "safe" at 2359 is "unsafe" 2 minutes later.

I regularly eat things like bread, margarine, ham, cheese after the nominal best buy date as does my neighbour (who is a GP).