What is the difference between the expiration date and best before date?

When consuming food products we must be aware of the expiration date and the best before date, these are indicated on the packaging and warn us when it is safe to consume them.

These are two dates that are very important to guarantee the safety and quality of the products we consume. The expiration date indicates the deadline to consume or use a product, while the best before date refers to the date on which the product is kept in optimal conditions of flavor and quality.

This date refers to the time limit in which a product must be consumed or used, that is, after it can become dangerous for health to consume the food.

The expiration date applies to perishable products that can compromise health if consumed after what is indicated; it is specifically about: meat, fish, dairy products and eggs, among others.

For this reason, it is recommended to follow the conservation instructions, such as the “store in the refrigerator” time or the suggested temperature or “store between 2 and 4 °C”.

If these recommendations are not followed, the food can be damaged and if we consume it we run the risk of suffering from food poisoning.

The consequences of consuming these products after the expiration date can cause serious damage to health.

An important fact to observe is if the food is frozen at home shortly after purchasing it, its conservation and useful life can be extended beyond the expiration date. To achieve this, they must be properly frozen, says Canal Salud.

Best before date

While the best before date is the date that the product is expected to maintain its optimal quality and flavor.

In general, it is applied to products that are less perishable without greater danger to health, such is the case of: cereals, cookies and preserves are foods that have a preferential consumption date.

It is also indicated in a wide variety of refrigerated, frozen, pasta, rice, canned foods, vegetable oil and chocolate, among others.

If any of these products are consumed after their best before date, there may be changes in texture, quality and flavor, but they are safe to consume.

It is important before discarding the food to check its appearance, smell and taste, as well as whether the packaging is intact.

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