17th Feb 2009 - 00:00
Abstract
Venners, an independent stock auditor, has reiterated its warning to businesses over checking date labels on food, after a nationwide survey commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that only half of people correctly identified the “use by date†as the best measure of safety.
The survey also found t at just less than half (47%) of people questioned said they would never eat cooked meat beyond its use by date, which suggests that a large proportion of consumers are willing to take risks with the safety of their food by eating goods beyond the use by date. The research backs up a warning given by Stuart Knill, health and safety manager at Venners, in September last year, which highlighted the dangers of ignoring 'sell by' dates on pre-packed foods and stressed they should be carefully checked and strictly adhered to – as should manufacturers advice on how long food can be kept once the packaging has been opened. Reiterating his stance, Knill said: "In these times of the so-called credit crunch everyone is looking for ways to cut costs and make savings. But when it comes to food, it pays to be safe not sorry. Confusion about date labels could mean that many people are taking significant risks by eating food past its used by safety date. 'Best before' dates on labels are more about quality than safety – so when that date expires it doesn't mean that the food is harmful, but it might not taste as good. "More important is the 'use by' date, which applies to the safety of food. It can be a health risk to eat food past its 'use by' date. Bugs and toxins which cause food poisoning can't be seen with the naked eye and often have no effect on taste and smell – so even if something does not appear spoiled it could still cause food poisoning."