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Best before and sell by food labels

Started by Plutonic Panda, October 03, 2024, 05:19:00 PM

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GaryV

Quote from: vdeane on October 04, 2024, 10:36:36 PMI suspect a lot of this is brand and store dependent. 
I agree. It probably depends a lot on how it is handled during shipping and in the store. The milk we buy at one store often goes bad a couple of days before the expiration date. At another store, it lasts a day or two after, even though those expiration dates may be a week longer than at the other store.


vdeane

#26
Quote from: Rothman on October 04, 2024, 11:00:30 PM
Quote from: vdeane on October 04, 2024, 10:36:36 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 04, 2024, 02:49:19 PMWhatever date is used in NY absolutely does not allow a week afterwards for skim milk.  A day or two after, you can smell it.
I suspect a lot of this is brand and store dependent.  The 1% milk Mom buys for Dad at Wegmans tends to last a really long time after the date.  Meanwhile, meat bought at Hannaford will easily last a week.  Meat bought at Price Chopper only lasts a day or two, and that's if you're lucky.

I find Wegmans just sells fresher milk with dates further in the future compared to Walmart and other markets.  Still, the date rolls around and within a couple days, kaputsky.
Huh.  Seems like my parents get better results with their Wegmans milk... then again @GaryV's comment might apply here.  Mom would be buying from Rochester-area Wegmans locations (usually Pittsford) which would be supplied locally from the Brooks Ave distribution center.  In your case, you're probably buying from a Syracuse-area Wegmans... which would also be supplied from the Brooks Ave distribution center, adding an hour or two travel time while its trucked over.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

1995hoo

I just finished a container of Wegmans 2% milk that had a sell-by date of September 30. It was fine. Sniffed carefully at it after pouring and before drinking it, of course. Regarding vdeane's comment about distribution centers, I have no idea who supplies their stores here.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
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commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

vdeane

Quote from: 1995hoo on October 07, 2024, 09:24:43 PMI just finished a container of Wegmans 2% milk that had a sell-by date of September 30. It was fine. Sniffed carefully at it after pouring and before drinking it, of course. Regarding vdeane's comment about distribution centers, I have no idea who supplies their stores here.
As far as I'm aware, the Mid-Atlantic/Southern locations are supplied by the RSC distribution center in Pennsylvania.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Rothman

Maybe you people have just built up an immunity to bad milk through long-term exposure.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

kalvado

Quote from: Rothman on October 07, 2024, 10:01:53 PMMaybe you people have just built up an immunity to bad milk through long-term exposure.
As far as I understand, shelf life of closed package is limited by efficiency of pasteurization (bacteria kill  is an exponential process, so a few remains in regular pasteurization); and with external contamination once the lid is opened.
All that is overridden with residual antibiotics concentration. So long life of the opened package indicates effective antibiotics concentration. YMMV. 

JayhawkCO

We only buy whole milk around here. The kid drinks it and we use it for cooking. I've had it still smell fine about 10 days after the expiration date.

bandit957

My experience is that there's a good chance a food item is spoiled or moldy long before the expiration date.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

epzik8

Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 05:52:07 PMWe only buy whole milk around here. The kid drinks it and we use it for cooking. I've had it still smell fine about 10 days after the expiration date.

I also exclusively use whole milk nowadays, because I wasn't allowed to drink it as a child.
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Rothman

Quote from: epzik8 on October 09, 2024, 08:49:59 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 05:52:07 PMWe only buy whole milk around here. The kid drinks it and we use it for cooking. I've had it still smell fine about 10 days after the expiration date.

I also exclusively use whole milk nowadays, because I wasn't allowed to drink it as a child.

Why not?
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

epzik8

Quote from: Rothman on October 09, 2024, 11:39:46 PM
Quote from: epzik8 on October 09, 2024, 08:49:59 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 08, 2024, 05:52:07 PMWe only buy whole milk around here. The kid drinks it and we use it for cooking. I've had it still smell fine about 10 days after the expiration date.

I also exclusively use whole milk nowadays, because I wasn't allowed to drink it as a child.

Why not?

"Too fatty"
From the land of red, white, yellow and black.
____________________________

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JayhawkCO

Quote from: bandit957 on October 09, 2024, 08:28:28 PMMy experience is that there's a good chance a food item is spoiled or moldy long before the expiration date.

Mine is the exact opposite.

english si

Use By - for the consumer to take care as this is when they expect the product will have gone bad. Some stuff (eg milk) you'd know if its gone bad, but other stuff (eg meat) gets bad a bit before it is noticeable.

Sell Buy - for the store to reduce the price and get rid of it as it is close to going bad so they don't get refunds from people buying it for a couple of days' time (more true now with customers using 'click and collect' or having home delivery, so they are removed from the process of picking items off shelves).

Best Before - for the manufacturer to avoid paying refunds if it may have gone bad a considerable time later. This stuff, if the container is unopened, is normally fine for quite some time and the date is an arbitrary 6 months, 1 year, 2 years after manufacture.


The problem isn't these dates existing, but people not understanding what each means and throwing stuff out for reaching the latter two categories, despite it being fine.



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