Food expiration dates: What do they really mean?

This article was a welcome find.  I have one teenager in the house that thinks if food isn't at its premium, that it should be discarded.  I've told him that there's no way anyone knows exactly what day any food is going to go bad, that the date is nothing but a guess, and that the food is safe to eat long after the expiration date.  Still, if it's past the date on the carton or has the slightest blemish on it; he thinks the whole thing should be discarded.  I've also told him that he's very fortunate to even think that he's in the position to discard perfectly edible food.

those dates are really more about quality than safety, and if not properly understood, they can also encourage consumers to discard food that is perfectly safe to eat.

via Food expiration dates: What do they really mean? | Yahoo! Green.

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