Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Friday 7 June 2019
'Sell By' or what? U.S. pushes for clarity on expiration dates

cheeses, for instance, food
safety experts say it's fine to
carve out a 1-inch chunk
around the mold and eat
the rest. If you're not sure
about when it's safe to eat
around mold, the U.S. De-
partment of Agriculture of-
fers a chart . Keep in mind
spoilage often isn't what's
responsible for food poison-
ing: "Sight and smell aren't
always great indicators of
safety," said Bourquin. A
slab of raw chicken, for ex-
ample, might look fresh but
contain salmonella. To limit
the chances of getting sick
from such germs, regulators
recommend safe cooking
and handling practices .
HOW DO FOOD-MAKERS
PREVENT SPOILAGE?
Canning in a sealed, ster-
ile container is a way to
preserve foods for years,
while freezing can also stop
the clock on spoilage. But
even in those cases, foods
can deteriorate in quality
depending on factors such
as acidity and how tightly
the package is sealed.
In the meantime, the trend
toward "natural" foods has
This Friday, May 24, 2019 photo shows the "sell by" date for a jug of milk in New York. prompted some food-
Associated Press makers to purge some pre-
servatives. But companies
By CANDICE CHOI WHAT'S NEW? implications. to spoilage in part because may find "natural" alterna-
AP Food & Health Writer Phrases like "Best By", "En- Regardless, the FDA's rec- their moisture allows the tives that perform similar
NEW YORK (AP) — If milk is joy By" and "Fresh Through" ommendation isn't man- small amounts of bacteria functions, and new ways to
a few days past its "Sell By" generally indicate when datory, and consumers will to multiply more quickly, make foods last longer are
date, is it safe to drink? a food's quality would de- likely continue seeing vari- said Martin Bucknavage, a emerging. One company,
U.S. regulators are urging cline — not when it be- ations, in some cases be- food safety expert at Penn for example, developed
food-makers to be more comes unsafe to eat. To cause of local regulations. State Extension. an edible peel made from
consistent with labeling help make that clearer, the With milk, for instance, "As time goes on, the few plants that helps extend
terms like "Best By" and "En- U.S. Food and Drug Admin- states may require "Sell By" becomes more and more," the shelf-life of produce like
joy By" that cause confu- istration recently recom- or other labeling. he said. avocados.
sion. By clarifying the mean- mended companies stick HOW ACCURATE ARE THE IS SPOILAGE ALWAYS BAD? HOW ARE FOOD BANKS AF-
ing of such dates, they are with "Best If Used By." DATES? Your tolerance for spoilage FECTED?
trying to prevent people Industry groups got behind It's difficult for manufactur- likely varies depending on Greater understanding
from prematurely tossing the phrase after earlier ers to pinpoint how long the food. Few would keep about date labeling might
products and to reduce guidance from regulators, foods will stay good, given pouring chunky milk over encourage more dona-
the mountains of food that along with the more de- variables like how long they cereal, but many might tions to food banks. In 1996,
goes to waste each year. finitive "Use By" for perish- sit on loading docks and overlook a spot of mold on a federal law sought to
Even if you rely more on ables food that should be how they're stored in peo- bread. Food safety experts encourage donations by
sight and smell to size up thrown out after a certain ple's homes. generally recommend shielding individuals and
foods, you might be sur- date. But the FDA hasn't Milk should be good for at throwing out food at the companies that donate
prised by the risks and prac- endorsed the latter phrase, least a few days after its first signs of spoilage. With food from liability.
tices around food spoilage. which could have safety "Sell By" date, though ex- mold, even a small fleck But Michael Flood of the
actly how long will depend might be an indicator that Los Angeles Regional Food
on factors including pas- there's a lot more of it that Bank notes concerns about
teurization methods. you can't see. spoilage don't end with a
Many people use dates on "It's kind of like an iceberg: donation. People who re-
packages as guideposts It's only part of what's going ceive donated food may
and rely on their senses. on," said Leslie Bourquin, a also be confused about
Crackers might taste stale, Michigan State University the meaning of various
for instance, while more professor of food science dates, and end up throw-
perishable foods might be and safety. An excep- ing products away.
discolored or smell funky. tion is for certain dense "We have the same prob-
Foods like fresh meat and foods where mold has dif- lem the overall food indus-
dairy are more vulnerable ficulty spreading. With hard try has," he said.q