Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think - Carolyn Beans
TED-Ed・2 minutes read
Nearly 40% of US food waste originates from households, with 20% being attributed to confusion over date labels, although most foods remain safe to eat beyond these dates. Supermarkets introduced open dating in the 1970s to show freshness, lacking scientific basis and often set early by manufacturers, yet some items like meat and unpasteurized cheeses should be consumed promptly to prevent health issues.
Insights
- Roughly 20% of discarded food items in the US are due to confusion over date labels, even though most groceries are safe to eat beyond those dates, highlighting a significant source of household food waste.
- The open dating system used by supermarkets to indicate freshness lacks scientific basis and is often set early by manufacturers to ensure peak taste, leading to misconceptions about the safety and quality of food products, especially those like meat, salads, deli meats, and cheeses that have stricter consumption timelines.
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Recent questions
What percentage of US food waste is from households?
37%
When did supermarkets start using open dating?
1970s
What percentage of discarded food items is due to date label confusion?
20%
Which food items can be consumed well beyond labeled dates?
Canned goods, frozen dinners
Which food items should be consumed within days of purchase?
Meat, ready-to-eat salads, deli meats, unpasteurized cheeses
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Summary
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"US Food Waste: Date Labels Misconceptions"
- 37% of US food waste comes from individual households, with roughly 20% of discarded food items being due to confusion over date labels, despite most groceries being safe to eat beyond those dates.
- Supermarkets began using open dating in the 1970s to indicate optimum freshness on products, a system not based on scientific evidence and often set early by manufacturers to ensure customers enjoy the food at its best.
- While some foods like canned goods and frozen dinners can be consumed well beyond their labeled dates, certain items like meat, ready-to-eat salads, deli meats, and unpasteurized cheeses should be consumed within days of purchase to avoid potential health risks.
