'Best Before' dates query

jhe

I ordered stacks of groceries didnt think to check dates I wrongly believed I would have got what was advertised, as I said in an earlier post it is no great deal I went out and bought late last night and no I am not able to buy on the day or be around for a delivery.
As i kept saying I was just wondering peoples opinions on BB dates.
Thanks everyone I have some helpful replies and some unhelpful replies!

George_Michael

I don't know if this website:
http://www.approvedfood.co.uk
has been mentioned on here before (It probably has but I've not seen it), but some of the items they sell are far cheaper than the major supermarkets and after all, this is a money saving website.

I saw a documentary about them a couple of months ago and it appears that they are going from strength to strength.

enfield_freddy

why do cans of oil have sell by date ? , its been in the ground for a million years

George_Michael

Possibly something to do with the additives in the oil degrading over time.

Azari

enfield_freddy wrote: »

why do cans of oil have sell by date ? , its been in the ground for a million years

Erm, no.

Edible oil (which is the only sort that would normally have a sell by date) has not been around for a million years. It is created in the seed or fruit of the plant from which it derives. Probably a few months old at an absolute maximum at the time of extraction/packaging.

Now NaCl, on the other hand, almost certainly has been around for millions, if not billions, of years and yet they put sell by dates on packets of salt in sealed plastic packaging. (Not that it will go 'off' if in an unsealed container, but it might 'cake'.)

enfield_freddy

gosh most edible oils come in bottles , I was of corse referring to engine oil , or oil for motor cars , this is the type that generally comes in cans , and the type of oil that has lain under the ground for millions of years .


how silly of me not to realise that most edible oils were from produce freshly grown ,


notes now added on wiki


thanks

mjm3346

George_Michael wrote: »

I don't know if this website:
http://www.approvedfood.co.uk
has been mentioned on here before (It probably has but I've not seen it), but some of the items they sell are far cheaper than the major supermarkets and after all, this is a money saving website.

I saw a documentary about them a couple of months ago and it appears that they are going from strength to strength.

There is a very long thread on it

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2624867

Azari

enfield_freddy wrote: »

gosh most edible oils come in bottles ,

Unless you buy it in largish quatities.

I was of corse referring to engine oil , or oil for motor cars , this is the type that generally comes in cans , and the type of oil that has lain under the ground for millions of years .

And this type does not generally have a sell by date on it. At least, not that I've seen.

how silly of me not to realise that most edible oils were from produce freshly grown

Well, I had to have a good think to see if I could come up with any exceptions.

To be quite honest, I don't even know if mineral oil is seriously toxic, or just too unpleasant tasting to consume. :rotfl:

enfield_freddy

touch! ,,,,

audigex

Best Before dates are only there to give you a guideline when buying it: eg if you need it on the 2nd, you might not buy something with a BBE of the 1st.

They're completely different to a use by, which can become dangerous not long after the use by date (although naturally it doesn't flip to dangerous at midnight),

BBE means it might go a little stale or ingredients may separate, it lose flavour etc. Within a few days it might start to go mouldy. But eating it the next day is unlikely to do anything to you, other than make you say "Hmm, this is a bit stale"