Best Before date...

[jim]

I've had milk before that's around 10-14 days out of date and it was fine. When I moved into uni last year I found quite a few people throwing things away once the best before had been breached, and honestly thought I was going to die when I had something beyond its use by.

[merdat]

[QUOTE=ik9000;2288857]
If it crawls out the fridge of its own accord, run.[/QUOTE/]

That happened me many years ago except it was the cooker not the fridge. Wife went on holiday and forgot to tell me that she had 'pre-,cooked meat' for me ( or if she did , I forgot) and two weeks later I thought there was ' a bit of smell' one morning and opened the oven door to find well forms maggots wriggling out of the casserole dish.

[Lucio]

If ANYTHING shouldn't have a "best before" date, it's anti-septic.

TCP has a best before date because it denatures, that is the chemical components in it break down over time which is accelerated by sunlight. It also has volitile components which evaporate, hence the smell

[scaryjim]

Best way to avoid dying when eating out of date food is to go vegan, curiously. There are far less nasties that will spoil vegan food, they're far less dangerous if they do, and they're generally far easier to spot too...

The one big exception to that is cooked rice, which you should never keep for more than a couple of days...

[Larkspeed]

Stupidest case of best before dates I have ever seen is on uncooked rice

Rice never expires, so long as it is stored in a dry place it will last forever

[Will404]

I think with eggs so long as they sink (no matter how slowly) they are fine... I have some which are well over a month out of date, and they are still fine (had one for breakfast yesterday, and no ill effects)... But probablly would not eat them raw at this stage.

I thought that cooked rice was especially important that you cooled it down quicklyey though?

[peterb]

<---snip

I thought that cooked rice was especially important that you cooled it down quicklyey though?

Bacillus Cereus food poisoning

[Larkspeed]

I thought that cooked rice was especially important that you cooled it down quicklyey though?

I was referring to UNcooked rice though which provided you keep it dry will keep indefinitely

[shaithis]

This is why they have had the recent change and why many are starting to talk about using common sense.

On the flip-side though.....I've used "common sense" for years and have regularly eaten stuff way out of its best before date......but I never knew about cooked rice building up toxins fast until I read this thread and then googled about it......I've eaten re-heated 3 day old rice on numerous occasions!

[ik9000]

This is why they have had the recent change and why many are starting to talk about using common sense.

On the flip-side though.....I've used "common sense" for years and have regularly eaten stuff way out of its best before date......but I never knew about cooked rice building up toxins fast until I read this thread and then googled about it......I've eaten re-heated 3 day old rice on numerous occasions!

me too. All been fine.

[doyll49]

This is why they have had the recent change and why many are starting to talk about using common sense.

On the flip-side though.....I've used "common sense" for years and have regularly eaten stuff way out of its best before date......but I never knew about cooked rice building up toxins fast until I read this thread and then googled about it......I've eaten re-heated 3 day old rice on numerous occasions!

Me three.

Was raised on farm growing, processing, canning, freezing food. We stored canned goods for years. Things like vegetables, fruit, berries, etc. Meat, milk products, eggs, etc. were harvested as needed as were vegetables and fruit in season. We kept carrots, onions, potatoes, apples, etc. in cellar cool room. Things canned summer/fall 1980 canning was for winter 1981-82, so we had 2 years of stock. That way if we lost current summer harvest, we still food until next year's harvest.

[Million]

If it's curdled it's probably not good anymore
If it's gone a little furry unless it's a jar maybe think twice
If it smells bad it probably is
If it tastes bad you know it is
If unsure cook it. Gone off meat really stinks when it gets in the pan.
If it crawls out the fridge of its own accord, run.

Good rules of thumbs there

Never did me no harm *jerks uncontrollably*

[badass]

If I see a best before date I ignore it. Completely. Worst case scenario is that the food/drink doesn't taste that great.
A Use by date, however means something completely different.

Ever notice how tins, jars etc have a best before date but meat, bread etc have a use by date.
Anything with a use by date is perishable. Thats when the brain needs engagement. Most stuff that's perishable is obviously unsuitable for eating before it's actually dangerous.

[peterb]

This is why they have had the recent change and why many are starting to talk about using common sense.

On the flip-side though.....I've used "common sense" for years and have regularly eaten stuff way out of its best before date......but I never knew about cooked rice building up toxins fast until I read this thread and then googled about it......I've eaten re-heated 3 day old rice on numerous occasions!

Reheating rice isn't the problem, it is letting it stand at room that is the problem! So if there is rice you want save, but it in the fridge ASAP and then if you are not planning to use it within 24 hpurs, freeze it. Reheat quickly by putting it in boiling water or using a little hot water and using a microwave oven.

[ik9000]

same goes in general it is far better to put frozen/chilled food into a HOT oven to reheat it. The rapid temperature change kills a lot more quickly than gradually heating it up achieves

[Hicks12]

Stupidest case of best before dates I have ever seen is on uncooked rice

Rice never expires, so long as it is stored in a dry place it will last forever

Its because things like weevils can hatch and god they're nasty , it takes a nuke and then some to kill them off! Had them when i was about to make some semolina and as i took the packet out it had about 15 weevils crawling around in it .

The bestbefore date is just to aid in cooking it before they can hatch as heating it will kill them, they are harmless but personally hate the thought . Or you can freeze it on purchase for a day or two then its fine .

I generally ignore best before dates, as long as it doesnt stink its fine by me .