If stored correctly, food can be eaten days , weeks , months or even years after the Best Before date.
The Charity WRAP has published new guidance underlining the fact that food past its Best Before date remains safe, and perfectly good to eat for days, weeks, months or even years after the date – depending on the type of food and if it has been stored correctly.
The guidance aims to increase the amount of food made available by businesses for redistribution by ensuring that all food items, including any approaching or past the Best Before date, are considered for redistribution – and that current policies that might not allow this are reviewed.
The simple to use guide will also give redistribution organisations across the UK the confidence to accept more quality food past the Best Before date; by building on existing guidance on food labelling in ways that can be easily implemented in accordance with UK laws on food safety.
There is no legal requirement for fresh, uncut fruit and vegetables to carry any date label. Many products don’t or are sold loose, in accordance with WRAP best practice guidance. There is no exact time for when individual products would be of sufficient quality after their Best Before date. This depends on the food type, its variety and seasonality, and the nature of the individual item. It may range from one additional day for perishable items, to two weeks for more robust crops like swedes.
Most fruits and vegetables stay fresh for longer if stored in a fridge, below 5°C, and in their original packaging.
Bread and bakery products remain good to eat for between two days for bread, and up to one week for other packaged bakery products. Some bakery items are sold in long life packaging (e.g. some pitta breads) enabling them to be eaten for a considerably longer period after the Best Before date. This may be a month or longer.
Ambient foods include a range of packaged items which typically carry a Best Before date and a long shelf life. A guide for common items are:
Crisps – one month; biscuits, cereals – 6 months; canned meat, canned soup, confectionery, drinks (cans / plastic / glass bottles) and pasta sauces – twelve months; dried pasta up to 3 years; jams – three to five years.
Frozen food packaging carries an indicative guide for how long the food can be stored frozen with a star rating for optimal quality. The products are usually labelled Best Before End. If items have been stored frozen at the food business operators in accordance with regulations, they will be safe to eat for months after the Best Before End date. The star-rating storage life reflects the length of time the product is likely to remain in good condition; eventually even well-frozen food will deteriorate.
