Articles

What to do With Out of Date Food

10/27/2015

Recent figures show that the health care system is failing our elderly, with over 40,000 older people complaining that the food they are receiving is inadequate.

In Britain today, over 13,000,000 people are said to be below the poverty line, and many of these people are pensioners. With councils underfunded in the sector, over two thirds of applications for care and support in the home are being rejected.

In light of the poverty and lack of care, many people are turning to food banks in order to survive and avoid starvation. The result of this is that often the products which are donated are out of date.  Older people can be at particular risk from expired food and therefore care must be taken to prevent illnesses related to their consumption.

Elderly people are more at risk from eating expired food products for several reasons. One reason is that elderly people might have deteriorating eyesight and might be unable to read the expiry date printed on the product. They might also be unable to see a colour change or the presence of mould on the food.

Similarly, our sense of smell acts as a guide as to whether or not the food is fit for consumption. As a person gets older, the often lose their ability to smell and therefore lose this warning system. The fact that many elderly people are poor and malnourished contributes to the weakening of their immune systems, making food poisoning potentially dangerous.

There is however a list of foods that can be eaten safely even after the expiry date.  Fermented foods are well known for their longevity, and include Korean Mimchi and German Sauerkraut.

In order to make the most of the food life, shoppers need to acquaint themselves with the terms ‘use by’ and ‘best before.’ The ‘use by’ date ought to be taken seriously, with NHS guidelines stating that consumption after this date can lead to illness. However, there seems to be a degree of flexibility with regards to ‘best before’ foods, with some safe to eat even weeks after the date has expired.

 According to food journalist, Joanna Blythman: ‘Foods which are very salty, for instance, are generally safe to eat. A good example of this is pickles, which, because it is preserved in vinegar, is safe to consume long after the date on the jar.'

'The same rule applies to sugary foods such as honey or jam. Using large amounts of sugar is an effective method of preservation, which is the reason that very sweet products like fruitcake and fudge can be eaten well past their use by dates,' Joanna said.

Some home staples such as some types of cheese (for example, cheddar), bread, and eggs are not much of a problem if eaten shortly after their use by dates. Cheese that is hard is generally safe, and mould can simply be cut off bread or parts of fruit as long as it has not spread much, whilst canned foods can last much longer if stored in a cool and dark place.

Soft cheese is not safe to eat however because it can become infested with harmful bacteria,. Under no circumstances should meat be eaten past its use by date, in particular pork and poultry. These two types of meat are by far the biggest sources of food poisoning in the United Kingdom.

 

Written By:

Daniel James
www.danieljamesbio.com
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