What should be on the packaging and how to read the expiry dates on the labels? What is the difference between best eat by and best eat by? It is worth knowing that food labeling is determined by the relevant regulations of the European Union.

Each food producer is obliged to inform the final consumer aboutthe shelf life of a given food , how it is stored and prepared for safe consumption. This obligation results from the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union No. 1169/2011 of October 25, 2011. It is important for the consumer to be able to understand the information provided on the labels of food products so that their consumption is safe for he alth.

"Eat" or "best eat"? How to read the labeling on the packaging?

The durability of a food product is determined by many factors. These are, among others: chemical composition, microflora, packaging method, specific storage conditions. Two terms can be found on product packages:

"You should eat by …"- so called use by date. The indicated date specifies the date beyond which the food is unfit for consumption and therefore cannot be eaten. Such a term can most often be found on the least durable products such as: meat, delicatessen products, chilled ready-to-eat meals, milk or non-sterilized dairy products. "Best before …" or

"Best before the end …"- the so-called the date of minimum durability until which the product retains its properties when properly stored. Producers are not required to date the minimum durability of products such as: fresh fruit and vegetables, table s alt, solid sugar, vinegar, bakery and confectionery products, drinks with an alcohol content of 10% by volume and more.

Why do we store the meat on the upper shelves and the eggs in the refrigerator door?

If necessary, the label of the food product should contain information about its proper storage in order to maintain its safety and he alth quality - color, taste, smell and nutritional value. Products that require refrigerated storage,should be kept in the refrigerator - but bear in mind that the temperature in the refrigerator differs depending on the specific location. For example, raw meat and fish require lower temperatures, so it makes sense to put them on the lowest level. Milk, dairy products, meats, butter, as well as all products that, according to the manufacturer's declaration, should be kept in the refrigerator after opening, should be stored on the middle or top shelves, and in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator - vegetables and fruit. Eggs require little cooling, so they are most often stored on the refrigerator door, and the frozen food, for obvious reasons, goes to the freezer. Other products, for which the manufacturer has not specified special storage conditions, should be placed outside the refrigerator - however, in a relatively cool (optimally + 18˚C), dry and dark place. If you purchase a product that has been vacuum-packed or packaged with packaging gases, it is worth paying attention to the tightness of the packaging. This method of packaging is designed to extend the shelf life of the food, and the use-by date in this case applies to the situation when the packaging is intact. For his own safety, the consumer should not buy products with damaged packaging.

Text by Dr. Eliza Konecka-Matyjek, Food and Nutrition Institute, prepared by the Solski BM Agency

Food and Nutrition Institute

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