Can you buy near-expiry food at a 10% discount? Is it safe?

Have you ever bought expired food?

When you go to the supermarket, you can often see counters selling near-expiry foods at prices much cheaper than usual, such as three bottles of large fruit yogurt for 9.9 yuan, cakes and pies for 50 cents, etc. Many people can't help but buy because of the low prices.

Some time ago, some catering businesses made near-expiry foods into blind boxes, which were very popular among young people.

Image source: Internet

What exactly is near-expiry food? Can we eat it? Is it really okay to buy near-expiry food?

Today we invited an expert from the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology to talk about it in detail.

01

What exactly is expiring food?

Nearly expiring food usually refers to pre-packaged food that is about to reach its expiration date but has not exceeded its expiration date . So how close to the expiration date does it have to be to be considered near-expiring food?

In fact, there is currently no clear and unified national standard in China to define the "near expiration date" of near-expiry foods. The current definition for reference comes from the group standard "Guidelines for the Circulation of Pre-packaged Near-Expiry Foods" (draft for comments) in June 2021.

This draft for comments on the group standard lists the definitions of "critical food" in different regions. For example, the standard of the Beijing Industry and Commerce Bureau is as follows:

Image source: "Circulation Guidelines for Pre-packaged Near-Expiry Foods"

02

Is it safe to buy expired food?

Let me give you the answer first: Under normal circumstances, it is safe to buy food that is about to expire.

The Food Safety Law stipulates that pre-packaged foods should be labeled with the product production date and shelf life.

The shelf life refers to the period during which the quality of the food is maintained under the storage conditions specified on the food label. During this period, pre-packaged food can be sold and consumed and is safe. Near-expiry food is food that is close to its expiration date and is within the expiration date, so there is no need to worry about its safety.

The Anti-Food Waste Law stipulates that supermarkets, shopping malls and other food operators should strengthen daily inspections of the foods they sell, classify and manage foods that are near their expiration date, and specially label them or display them in a centralized display for sale.

In other words, merchants cannot sell near-expiry food to consumers without their knowledge, and can only sell it after informing consumers.

Therefore, in order to reduce losses, many businesses often use discounts and promotions to sell near-expiry foods as soon as possible to reduce economic losses. Some supermarkets will also set up near-expiry food counters according to regulations, and even in recent years, many near-expiry food specialty stores have been opened.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

03

What should you pay attention to when buying expired food?

1. Check the food packaging

Try to choose regular supermarkets or stores, and avoid unlicensed stores or stalls. Check the food packaging when buying to ensure that there is no damage, bulging, or leakage.

Pay attention to key information such as the production date and expiration date on food labels to ensure that the product is within the expiration date. If you find food with a false production date or expiration date or food that has exceeded the expiration date, you should report such illegal behavior.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

2. Pay attention to storage conditions

Note that near-expiry foods must be stored under the conditions specified on the label. If you find near-expiry foods that need to be refrigerated or frozen are left at room temperature, do not buy them.

3. Purchase the right amount based on your needs

Be rational in consumption and do not buy expiring food in large quantities just because of discounts or low prices, so as to avoid waste due to expired or spoiled food.

In addition, you should eat the food as soon as possible within the expiration date after purchase. Do not eat the food if it has exceeded the expiration date or has an unusual smell or taste.

Produced by: Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology

Author: Fan Zhihong, Associate Professor, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University

Gao Jie, Associate Professor, College of Food Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University

Yu Hangyu, Assistant Researcher, National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center

The cover image and the images in this article are from the copyright library

Reproduction of image content is not authorized