"Consume until", "consume preferably before", "consume preferably before the end of". Confused? Understand the differences and know until when you can consume food.

These expressions are used on the label with reference to the product's shelf life, i.e. the period during which a food maintains its characteristics and/or can be safely consumed. However, their use and meaning are different.

The mention 'consume up to'The date, followed by the day/month/year, indicates the use-by date and refers to the period within which it is safe to eat the food. It is applied to pre-packaged perishable products, which may undergo significant changes in their microbial load (number and type of microorganisms present) depending on the time and conditions of storage. Consumed out of date, these foods, such as meat, fresh fish and seafood and products that require refrigeration for preservation, can cause damage to the consumer's health. Therefore, foods labeled in this way should not be consumed after the date indicated on the packaging, even if they show no signs of deterioration.

The expression "consume preferably before" followed by the day/month/year; and "consume preferably before the end of"The month/year - for products with a shelf life of 3 to 18 months; or year - for products with a shelf life of more than 18 months, indicate the date of the product's minimum shelf life. That is, the minimum period during which the food retains its specific properties (e.g. color, aroma, taste, texture...). In this case, non-perishable foods can be consumed after the period indicated on the packaging, even if, at the time of use, the consumer may experience any deterioration in any of the product's characteristics.

In all cases, however, it is important to note that the definition of a food's shelf life presupposes proper preservation throughout the chain, i.e. from production to the moment the food is consumed. If the storage conditions indicated on the packaging are not respected, the food may become unfit for consumption while it is still within its expiration date. For example, if a refrigerated or frozen product is exposed to room temperature during distribution and marketing, it could deteriorate more quickly than expected, i.e. before the expiration date indicated by the manufacturer.

In this sense, it is important that, at the time of purchase, in addition to the expiry date, the consumer checks the general condition of the product and the storage conditions in which it is kept. Products with damaged packaging (e.g. torn, perforated or in some way tampered with) or opaque packaging, frozen food with ice crystals in the packaging and refrigerated or frozen products exposed to room temperature are some examples of products that may have suffered early deterioration due to poor preservation. In this case, you should avoid buying them, even if the expiry date has not yet passed.

BY "MARIA NUTRICAS"