Is it unsafe to eat a food product after its expiry date?
You might worry when a food product’s expiration date is approaching, but experts say there are exceptions.
When you go shopping for groceries at a departmental store, a few things top your priority list. If you are nutrition conscious, you will probably flip the product and check the ingredients, protein content and other nutritional details. But there is one aspect that is non-negotiable and which almost everyone checks before buying a product: end date,
If a product is nearing its expiration date, chances are you’ll put it back on the shelf. But does an expiration date really mean that the food is no longer safe to eat, or is it just a precaution?
What happens after the expiry date?
So, what actually happens when a product passes its expiry date? Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t immediately turn into something harmful. For many non-perishable items, expiry dates are more about quality than safety. A bag of crisps might lose its crunchiness, or a biscuit might look a little stale, but they won’t necessarily make you sick.
However, the situation is more serious for perishable items such as milk, meat and eggs. These foods can harbor bacteria that grow rapidly after the use-by date, potentially leading to foodborne illness.
Pooja Shah Bhave, a Mumbai-based consultant clinical dietitian, explains that Indian consumers often use packets of wheat flour, gram flour, maida and semolina even after their expiry date, which is not recommended as there is no visible growth of mould in them.
“Non-perishable food items like beans, pulses, pasta and rice can remain good even after their expiry date if kept in a dry, well-ventilated room. Even items like nuts, oilseeds and semolina have an extended shelf life if kept in a refrigerator. Spices can last for years. However, anything after the expiry date should be thoroughly checked for any off-putting odour, taste or appearance,” she adds.
How reliable are expiration dates?
Deepali Sharma, clinical nutritionist at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, explains, “The expiry date of food packaging is determined by several factors, including the type of food, the packaging used, the manufacturing process, and regulatory guidelines. Manufacturers conduct tests and experiments to estimate the shelf life of a product under specific storage conditions. The expiry date is determined based on these tests, to ensure that the product remains safe and of good quality until the stated date.”
However, according to Dr Shweta Jaiswal, senior dietitian at Noida-based Sharda Hospital, expiry dates are often more an indicator of the quality of foods than an accurate indicator of safety.
“If the food still looks and smells fine after the expiration date, it’s usually safe to eat. Most expiration dates have more to do with the freshness and quality of the product than its safety. If there are no obvious signs of spoilage or unpleasant odors, the food may still be safe to eat. Consumers should rely on their intuition when evaluating food that has passed its expiration date,” she adds.
Role of storage in shelf life
If you grew up in an Indian household, you are probably familiar with your mother’s habit of stocking up on things and keeping them in the fridge, and assuming that “everything is fine”.
The concept of expiry dates sometimes seems blurry when it comes to “Indian moms”, who often insist that keeping things in the fridge will keep them fresh for longer. Turns out, she wasn’t entirely wrong.
How you store your food plays a huge role in how long it will stay safe and tasty. Keeping your fridge at the right temperature (below 5°C), sealing packages tightly, and storing dry goods in cool, dark places can greatly extend the shelf life of many items.
Deepali Sharma says, “Storage conditions play a vital role in the accuracy of expiry dates. Temperature fluctuations, humidity, exposure to sunlight and extreme temperatures can all affect the shelf life of a food product. If a food product is not stored according to the recommended conditions, its safety and quality may deteriorate before the time indicated by the expiry date.”
When it comes to food safety, it is important to follow established food and drug laws, especially in a country like India where these regulations are designed to protect consumers. Lifestyle and health coach Anupama Menon stresses the importance of these guidelines, especially when it comes to storage and handling:
- If certain products need to be stored at refrigerated or frozen temperatures during transportation, and these conditions are violated, the food product will spoil before its expiration date.
- If food products are lifted from cold or frozen storage, rely on your sense of smell and sight to decide whether the food is edible.
- Food items packaged in cans or cartons should be checked for bloated or damaged conditions, and if so, should be discarded, even if the food product is within the expiry date.
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For canned food, check if the can is dented or damaged. If so, there is a good chance that the contents have gone bad. (Photo: Unsplash)
Toss or not to toss?
Expiration dates are useful guidelines, but they aren’t always the final word on whether something is safe to eat. By understanding the different labels and using your senses, you can make better decisions about what to keep and what to throw away. However, while reducing food waste is important, don’t compromise your health.
