Eating something from your fridge or pantry that has passed the expiration date may still be good to eat.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, expiration dates are helpful, but the best way to know if something has gone bad is by looking at it and smelling it.
“Expiration dates are actually more about quality than they are about food safety. So, when you look at things like the sell by date, that is typically a date that is going to be a guide for grocery manufacturers — when can I sell this by? The best buy date is really an assessment of quality. For example, this cracker is going to taste great now, but maybe in four weeks from now, it won’t taste as good,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, RD, registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic.
Wanting to eat something that is past the expiration date? Check the texture, color, any mold, or notice the smell, the Cleveland Clinic said.
According to Kirkpatrick, it’s important to note that people can get sick from eating expired food, especially with perishable items like eggs and meat.
“Think about it this way, any place where you have an environment where bacteria can grow leads to the most probability that you could become ill after having that product. Typically, when bacteria grow, we will see it or we might smell it. That is why perishable items are going to be the most important things to keep an eye out for,” she said.
Some products do have a strict expiration date, like infant formula.
The Cleveland Clinic said if anything seems unusual, it’s time to toss.
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