Don > wrote

> Excerpts from
> http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/...rss_topStories

> Dates on food labels? Here's what you need to know:

We'll see...

> "Sell by" is a guide for the store to know how long it can display
> a product for sale. The "best before" or "best if used by" date
> refers to quality or flavor of the food. "Use by" works more like
> an expiration date, similar to that on medicines.

> Few folks know when they buy meat, even if the sell-by
> date is five days away, the refrigerator at home isn't cold
> enough to keep the meat fresh for more than two days.

Wrong.

> Usually, raw meat is kept at around 30 degrees, while the
> home refrigerator's temperature is set around 40 degrees.

Numbers plucked out of someone's arse.

> Even frozen meats don't last forever. Some, like ground beef,
> need to be consumed within three months of being frozen.

Another number plucked out of someone's arse.

> Ground meat spoils more quickly because there's
> more surface area for bacteria to grow on.

Duh.

> The FDA only requires a use-by, or expiration, date on infant
> formula. That's because formula must contain a certain quantity
> of each nutrient that is described on the label. And if formula
> is stored too long, it loses its nutritional quality,

Bullshit.

> and also separates or forms lumps that will clog the bottle nipple.

Not a ****ing clue.

> The Agriculture Dept only requires labeling of the date when
> poultry is packed at the farm. However, many manufacturers
> are allowed to add sell-by or use-by dates. Grocery stores
> that grind their own meat can add their own package labels.

Hardly the end of civilisation as we know it.

> In fact, both the FDA and the USDA have a pretty laissez-faire
> attitude when it comes to food shelf-life labeling.

Bullshit.

> Most of these dates are not an indicator of safety, but rather of quality.

There is no safety problem.

> Some foods spoil if not refrigerated quickly enough - but they won't kill you.

And quite a few are fine when cooked too.

> Milk, for instance, starts deteriorating quite quickly. Pasteurized
> milk usually remains fresh for five days after its sell-by date.

Another number plucked out of someone's arse.

> However, if milk isn't refrigerated promptly, it will develop a sour
> taste and spoil, even though it might not necessarily be dangerous.
> Milk can lose vitamins when exposed to light, which is why it usually
> comes in opaque plastic or paperboard. The USDA claims that there
> is no significant difference in the nutritional value of pasteurized and
> unpasteurized milk, though pasteurized milk is a lot safer.

It aint a claim, its a fact.

> If a product already has harmful bacteria like salmonella
> or listeria in it, the bacteria will multiply and develop
> colonies within days, even in the refrigerator.

Mindlessly superficial.

> In cases where the bacteria is already there, the use-by dates
> become irrelevant because they can harm you much before then.

Mindlessly superficial.

> Soft cheeses like brie and camembert are also likely to carry listeria,

Wrong. Very unlikely, actually.

> and should be eaten within three to four days of opening.

Have fun explaining why opening is relevant.

> Many other foods, like potato chips or mayonnaise, that have oils
> or fat, will go rancid and taste bad before they can breed bacteria.
> Surprisingly enough, eggs have a pretty long shelf life and can last
> as long as five weeks after the sell-by date if refrigerated properly.

Another number plucked out of someone's arse.