October 14, 2024

Food Safety is Important

Watching the dates on food containers should be done on a regular basis, but it can be confusing. Those dates are meant to make sure the item is used at its freshest. It also helps keep you from getting sick on outdated items.

The date printed on food containers doesn’t necessarily mean the food needs to be tossed on that date. It all boils down to the wording that accompanies the date.

In addition, look and smell the food. Any mold on an item means it needs to be tossed. Mold spores will spread throughout the item and can cause illness.

If it smells bad, it is bad. If it is mushy or has any consistency that is not normal for that item, it is time to toss it. It is never worth taking the risk of getting sick. When milk goes bad, there is no question. It smells awful and if it has the chance, it will actually become chunky!

Commonly used phrases:

• A “Best if Used By/Before” date indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality.  It is not a purchase or safety date.
• A “Sell-By” date tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management.  It is not a safety date.
• A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula as described below.
• A “Freeze-By” date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

Smells

The fridge can pick up smells from strong smelling items such as onions or tuna noodle hot dish in there! Baking soda is a good odor eater. Just open the top of the box and let it do it’s thing.

Spills and Sticky containers

Sticky jars, pickle juice and spills are just a few things that can end up on the shelves of the fridge. I have vinyl placemats on my shelves. They are easier to clean than the glass shelves and prevents scratches.

Routine housekeeping

I am kind of a neat freak. Okay, let me rephrase that, I AM a neat freak. I clean out my fridge in the Spring and Fall. If it needs a cleaning in between, I will do it. I use dish soap and warm water. It’s a great way to see what has made its way to the back of the refrigerator. It’s a good time to check expiration dates as well. The water filter needs to be changed every six months. Those filters do a great job making sure your have clean water. Do price shop the filters. The price can vary and you could save yourself some money.

Notes

For more information about food safety and preparation visit: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-product-dating