Can we eat after expiry date: Whenever we go to the market to buy something, we definitely check the manufacturing and expiry date on its packet. Be it kitchen items, food or cosmetic products. This is also the case these days because most of the things are available in packaged form and both these dates are written on their packets. It simply means to us that this thing was made in this month or on this date and will expire after this date. Often you must have thrown away things as soon as the date expired, or sometimes it may have happened that you have been using expired things for a long time without checking and then suddenly you came to know about it.
But have you ever wondered why this expiry date, best before or use by date is written on the packets of all packaged goods from milk, bread, namkeen, spices, cream, powder? And does the thing really get spoiled and unfit for consumption after this date? Is there any harm in using a product after expiry? Today we will know the answers to all these questions from AK Adhikari, Director of National Food Laboratory of FSSAI.
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What is MFG and expiry date?
Talking to News18hindi, FSSAI officials said that as per FSSAI rules, manufacturing and expiry dates are written on the packets of any food, cosmetic, beverage or consumer product. Manufacturing date is the date on which the product was manufactured and packed. Expiry date or use by date is the date after which it is said not to use the product. There can be disadvantages of using it.
On many packets, it is written Best Before June 2024, or July 2025 etc. This date means that if you use the product till a certain date, its quality will remain best, but if you continue to use it after that, there may be a difference in quality. However, this does not mean that the product has deteriorated and you cannot use it at all. You can use it.
Does the product get spoiled after the expiry date?
Officials say that it is not the case that any item gets spoiled as soon as the expiry date arrives or within a day of being sold and should be thrown away. Yes, there can be a slight difference in its taste, smell, effect. Similarly, if there are dairy products, then they can have a bad smell, milk can curdle, there can be a difference in the taste of curd etc.
You can use spices, dry fruits, other food items, oil, shampoo, cream etc. for 8-10 days or even after their expiry. It is not necessary that it will cause harm and it has to be thrown away immediately but since there are FSSAI standards, it is necessary to mention a fixed limit.
It has been observed many times that many products have their expiry date after a year but the product gets damaged or has problems. This happens due to many other factors as well.
The matter is also related to legal action
Officials say that a case had reached the court in which people’s health deteriorated due to consumption of some product, they filed a case against the company but later it was found out that the expiry date of the product had passed and those people had used the expired product, which resulted in loss, so no action was taken against the company.
Therefore, the issue of expiry date also plays a role in legal action. If a defect is found in the product despite it not being expired, then legal action can also be taken against the manufacturer.
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Tags: Food, Food Safety Act, Health News
FIRST PUBLISHED : July 5, 2024, 17:33 IST