Food safety

tuttifruiti20

open it, look at it, if it looks ok, smell it, if it smells ok, taste it, if it tastes ok use it. I have used stuff that's a full year beyond it's bbe date before with no problem specially on cook in sauces and things.

VfM4meplse

Sparklyfairy wrote: »

Totally fine! I'd use it without a second thought...!

Really? I might agree if this were a dried product, but dairy and meat :shocked:?

A jar that cost less that £2 is not worth causing the whole family food poisoning...unless you need the drastic weight loss.

BitterAndTwisted

It's a "best before' date not a "use by". Therefore the manufacturers cannot guarantee that it will be in prime condition after that date, not that it would be dangerous to consume. I'd use it without a qualm.

zippychick

it seems the answer is a resounding no!!!!

ive merged this with food safety

ZIP

meer53

I'd bin it, it's too far out of date to risk it.

quintwins

i'd use it if it looks/smelt/tasted ok after all those jars are full of preserves and keep for ages

QueenB.

I have to admit i am a bit paranoid when it comes to stuff that is out of date, though more so with stuff from the fridge. My parania has got worse since i had my son as he has several medical conditions and has an extremely sensitive stomach. I have tried to be a bit better about frozen/pacakged/tinned BBF dates as i know they should be fine for at least 6 months past the BBFD. Also i don't really worry about fruit/fresh veg or salad bits but anything dairy/eggs/milk and so on it goes straight out.

To avoid any waste i just make sure i do a quick weekly stock inventory and use anything close to their UBD up in as many ways as possible.

sophistica

I work in this area. If you heat food to a high temperature (I think it is 78'c) 99% of all the bacteria is killed. For this reason I wouldn't eat pork pies or cold meat passed it's sell by date but if raw meat or fish has been refrigerated and does not smell or look "off" I would cook it and eat it.

Ben84

Jars preserve food because they are filled, sealed with an airtight lid then heated to a temperature that kills all the bacteria/mould spores inside them. The contents are completely sterile and remain this way until opened. The slight catch is that the seal may be compromised - but that is a hazard even when the jar is in date. Under normal conditions however the seal lasts a very long time, possibly indefinitely under the right conditions, during which time the contents cannot go off and they do not need any preservatives. Most jars of food have no preservatives added and those that do have them added to preserve the food once you open the jar and re-contaminate it with bacteria and spores from the air, not for preserving while it is sealed.

lynzpower

raw meat is a low risk food ( as we cook it prior to eating) hence we can see unrefridgerated raw meat in butchers shops windows. indeed we hang eg beef in ambient temps to get those spoilage bacteria going which = tenderisation.

you are totally right tho, cooked meats and any other ready to eat products like sandwich,cream cake etc should be eaten before its use by.

Fish however must stay refridgerated, as its breaking down can lead to scromboid poisoning in fish http://www.foodsafetywatch.com/public/484.cfm - not pleasant!