Likewise, a bottle of beer with a loose cap will become rancid and sour even though the “best before” date may be months away.
In all these instances, factors such as improper storage, compromised packaging and microbial contaminants have taken precedence over expiry in determining if a given food is still fit for consumption.
So can you eat expired foods?
Like most things in life, the answer is never black or white. It is judicious to follow the manufacturer’s instructions as expiry dates assume optimal storage conditions.
This is especially applicable to perishable foods. Dairy products, fresh meat, seafood, and cooked or packed food meant for immediate consumption all fall in this category.
Less perishable food with “best before” dates is where opportunities to reduce food wastage abound. If it still looks, smells and tastes fine overall, quickly consume it rather than blindly following the expiry date and throwing away perfectly edible food.
Dried uncooked pasta, uncooked rice, dried noodles, biscuits, cereals, preserved fruits and meat, to name a few, fall in this category.
Zwe Ye Htut is Research Fellow and Li Dan is Assistant Professor at the Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore.