Food engineer explains why we have misread the expiration date of food
Many times, when buying food, the first thing you check is the expiration date to know how long the product is valid, since this is important to avoid risks to the body.
What they don't know is that sometimes they are reading it wrong. It is important not to confuse the expiration date with the consumption date, since there is a difference between the two.
Food engineer Mariana Zapién, through her Instagram account, often gives advice to her followers about food care and how it should be consumed.
According to the expert, it is important for people to learn to interpret the expiration date, which indicates when the product has expired and is no longer safe for health to consume.
However, what many people don't know is that there is a 'fine print' that they often ignore and overlook, which can become a problem for the body, as it could be the cause of the proliferation of bacteria.
It is important to check the expiration date. Photo: istock
“You are reading the expiration date wrong. The date written on the products indicates until when the product is in good condition; after this date, it cannot be sold or consumed because there may be health risks,” explained Zapién.
Although this is important to know how long the food will be valid, what many do not know is that it changes once it is opened. This often goes unnoticed by many people who do not read the fine print.
“When you open the product, you no longer have a sealed and controlled environment, which encourages the entry of external contaminants such as bacteria, yeast or fungi, and since food contains nutrients, it is the perfect environment for the development and growth of microorganisms that could make you sick or spoil your food,” he said.
Once opened, these products begin to break down fats due to exposure to oxygen, which promotes the appearance of rancid flavors. For this reason, the food engineer explained the importance of paying attention to the storage instructions indicated by the manufacturer and the consumption recommendations.
One of the clearest examples mentioned by the expert is the consumption of milk. It is best to consume it within three days after opening it, to avoid the proliferation of bacteria that it can collect in the refrigerator.
Once opened, milk should be consumed within three days. Photo: iStock
“Remember that there are microorganisms that can make you sick and that do not necessarily alter the characteristics of the food, such as flavor, color or aroma, so respect the shelf life of foods once opened in the refrigerator ,” concluded Zapién.
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