Use By Date

[sherrardk]

I have a Chinese duck pancake roll ready meal thing and it says use by 30/12 - the duck stuff is vacuum packed. Will it be ok tomorrow or is it likely to make me ill (don't fancy it tonight). Thanks.

[ummmm]

It'll be fine.

[sherrardk]

Thank you - I am a slave to use by dates.

[grasscarp]

If you cant face it pop it round to mine. As if they know the exact minute something will go off. Not a lot of difference between 30 and 31. I use the mark one nose as a guide. Smells ok it is. Slightest doubt bin it. Never failed me yet. I have a theory that they want you to reject things so you will go out and buy more.

[gness]

Pretend you're on the west coast of America Sherr...you'll be fine. :-)

[sherrardk]

Hi grasscarp, don't do sniffing stuff (have a v weak stomach and if something was off I would gag).

[Buenchico]

Unless it's been left on top of a radiator, or somewhere similar, I wouldn't have the slightest hesitation in eating it. Its bacterial count isn't going to magically increase at the stroke of midnight!

[Prudie]

I think they build in at least 2 days tolerance in sell by dates. The only thing I won't use late is shellfish but that might be just me being paranoid.

[sherrardk]

Will do Gness (had a dilemma as I have defrosted some prawns and definitely don't 'trust' them to be ok tomorrow, they went a bit slimely last time I defrosted them and then went to eat them the next day).

[ummmm]

They are talking about getting rid of use by dates because of food wastage.

I cooked a joint of beef the other day which was two days out of date. Smelt exactly as it should have and it was lovely.

[gen2]

The dates are always well on the safe side because they don't want to be sued for causing illness (or worse) by suggesting it is safe to eat when it isn't.

[sherrardk]

If they do that I will be knackered - so not going to start sniffing raw food, etc.

[ummmm]

If you bought it from a butcher/fish monger/deli they'd be no use by dates and you'd be expected to use your nose/common sense.

[Sparkles62]

Should be ok if it has been refrigerated. The food companies well and truly cover themselves with the bb and use by dates. I would eat it myself, just have a sniff when you open it, if it doesn't smell ok, bin it x

[grasscarp]

I eat yogurts that are months out of date! To be honest with meats and fish you have to use your nose. Gag or not to be wrong could be a disaster. Sooner gag than be much worse tomorrow. The date is not foolproof. It is put on by a person, and we all know they are not infallible.

[NoMercy]

A "use by" date is a qualifying date. A "best before" date is merely a recommendation and can be safely consumed way beyond the recommended given date.

Perishable products tend to carry use-by dates.

I've consumed products beyond their best-before and use-by and never had a problem.

[Wharton]

Read grasscarp's first answer and give her 'Best Answer' :-)

[Smowball]

I have the problem of having no sense of smell whatsoever and so have to either go by sell by dates or the look of something. but I agree far too much is thrown out so I usually have to get hubby or son to sniff various foodstuffs lol.

[Wharton]

I put potentially dodgy stuff down for my cat. If he ignores it, I throw it out, if he starts eating it I whip it off him and eat it myself :-)

[ummmm]

Wharton, I tried that test with my cat. Had some fresh mussels for dinner and kept one of the unopened ones aside (was slightly open) let the cat scoff some of the good ones and tried him on the unopened one. One sniff and and walked off...

[Wharton]

....cats of a feather ummmm :-)