BBD? DLC? These acronyms often seem abstract to us! On our yoghurts, our ham, our pasta… they are everywhere:the expiry dates. Food waste in France represents no less than 10 million tonnes per year, or 16 billion euros. So before throwing away what we think is outdated, we take stock to avoid confusion in these dates (and waste)!
The difference between the use-by date (DLC) and the best-before date (DLUO) is simple. Foods with a DLC are high in water. Who says water, says proliferation of bacteria, and can cause infections such as salmonellosis or listeriosis. There, no question of having fun going over the date, it's dangerous. On the other hand, for those wearing a BBD, it's just a matter of taste. Clearly, after the famous date, the taste qualities will be altered:drier cakes, fewer vitamins in the juices... to know if it's still good, we trust our senses:to the eye, to the smell and taste too! Our species has survived through the centuries like this, so why change?
Do we throw away or do we keep? Here is a small list of our daily foods:
Salt, honey, spices can be kept for life, wine too (and can be recycled into vinegar).
Dried products (such as pasta, lentils, cereals, etc.) can be kept for several years, as can canned foods as long as they are not swollen.
Frozen foods, provided they are kept well at -18°C, can be kept for several months to a year (special attention is paid to meat and fish).
Chocolate is two years max, but between us, it won't last that long...
UHT milk (unopened) will keep for 2 months after the date, yogurts the same, unless they taste stingy (obviously!). The cheese will keep until there is life inside (yum).
For charcuterie (cured ham, cooked ham, etc.), it's two weeks maximum, but we really pay attention to the smell and the look.
For juices and soft drinks, we limit to one year because they will lose their gas and vitamins.
Remember:if the smell or the visuals are strange (small clumps of green or white hair, a disgusting smell, etc.) and if you have the slightest doubt, of course we throw it away!
