Register

Eating out-of-date stuff

For all refugees from the old Beeb Food Boards :-)
Chill out and chat with the foodie community or swap top tips.
NOTE: CHATTERBOX IS IN THIS FORUM

Moderators: karadekoolaid, THE MOD TEAM, Stokey Sue, Gillthepainter

User avatar
Posts: 3919
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:33 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby scullion » Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:03 pm

jeral wrote:It's debatable whether old veg is worth eating if clearly degrading as they can't have much goodness left in them.


actually, mccance and widdowson (the composition of foods) give composition of nutrients for both 'new' and 'old' carrots per 100g/oz.
they show a higher nutrient content, including vitamins, in the old carrots - indicating that any loss is, possibly, mainly water. possibly other veg is similar.

jeral wrote:Most veg will survive longer if put in a half inch or so of cold water at the root end in a ramekin or jug in the fridge.

well, it depends what's been done to them before you buy them. brassicas with a decent stalk should be ok but i wouldn't bother with bagged carrots, and such like, that have had much of the epidermis scrubbed off

Posts: 3511
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:42 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby KeenCook2 » Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:07 pm

We're pretty relaxed about bb dates, but always take notice of use by dates on poultry, fish, pork, mince (of any type). We haven't had sausages or bacon apart from at Christmas. I'd be very careful with sausages but less so with bacon.

We don't get beef very often, and then it's usually for stews. With beef I'm happy to use my senses to decide whether to use it or not. On the occasions we have steak it's usually in the vacuum packs that come as a supermarket "3 for £10" deals so we reckon they have a pretty reliably long shelf life and would be quite happy eating it after the date has expired.

With dairy, fruit and veg, it really is a question of using your common sense - I recall I've asked on here when I've had cream that was on the turn as that seemed a bit less obvious.

I think it would be a big mistake to get rid of dates altogether on fresh packaged meat and fish.

On the rare occasions we get meat from a butcher we always try to use it that day or the next day, or freeze it.

We usually keep bread in the fridge as if we're buying it, it's better value to get a large loaf and if we've made it ourselves, we know it hasn't got anything in it that will prolong its shelf life!!

User avatar
Posts: 3919
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:33 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby scullion » Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:13 pm

putting bread in the fridge actually makes it go stale/hard quicker as it crystallises the gluten. it would be better to cut the loaf in half and put one half in the freezer. or if sliced, freeze and take out slices as you need them. the gluten isn't/is less effected.

User avatar
Posts: 8629
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby Stokey Sue » Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:23 pm

There's a theory that frozen bread slices actually make better toast, not sure about that, but it's certainly fine

Posts: 886
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:38 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby ZeroCook » Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:31 pm

.
Totally agree KC2 - we do much the same as you. A lot kept in fridge.

A big part of the problem is also due to rampant over packaging - small amounts in closed plastic with no ventilation etc. perfect breeding ground for nasties. It's as much about how food is stored as how long - Scullion's sack of potatoes example for e.g.

A lot of these guidelines are to cope with the problems of highly packaged and portioned industrial food processing, storage and delivery systems.

Posts: 3511
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:42 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby KeenCook2 » Sun Jan 24, 2021 8:19 pm

Fair enough re bread but usually no room in the freezer :oops:

User avatar
Posts: 8629
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:17 pm

Good item about out of date canned food on This Morning, last major item on today’s programme

They collected ancient cans, opened them and tried to culture bacteria from the contents

They found no bacteria to worry about in cans, though some of the food wasn’t edible as it had slowly changed just due to its own slow chemistry - safe but nasty

A 25 year old cardboard pack of dry lasagne did contain bacteria though to be honest would probably have been safe when cooked

Posts: 3511
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:42 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby KeenCook2 » Wed Aug 11, 2021 7:45 pm

Evening all, I just realised that a Lidl pack of smoked salmon in the fridge had its use by date as 22 July ... it's obviously been in the fridge since I bought it, and appears to be totally sealed.

My feeling is it's probably fine, my question is, if it's not, do you think I'd notice? ie could it be contaminated with some sort of bug that doesn't cause any weird taste or smell?

It's a 200g pack and I'd hate to chuck it if I didn't need to ...

TIA!

User avatar
Posts: 6058
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 10:19 am
Location: East Anglia

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby Suffs » Wed Aug 11, 2021 8:37 pm

I’ve been known to eat quite elderly smoked salmon. As long as it smells as it should. After all salting and smoking was done to preserve fish. Mind you as I’m getting (a bit) older I’m being a bit better behaved about such things as it worries OH.

Posts: 2386
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:12 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby liketocook » Wed Aug 11, 2021 8:48 pm

Assuming it's the thin sliced stuff rather than the lightly smoked fillets I'd certainly open it and see what you think. If it smells okay (no smell of ammonia after being out of the pack for 20 minutes or so), has no brown/grey/green tinge when you hold it up and isn't slimy to the touch then personally I'd try it and if there's any sour taste discard otherwise I'd eat it . Generally with fish even cured/smoked stuff it's usually fairly obvious if it's off. It is getting towards the end of it's extended shelf life so might have degraded texture wise a bit but I can't think of any hidden nasties. If it's the fillets no I'd ditch as the smoke/cure tends not to have fully penetrated the whole fillet.

Posts: 3511
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:42 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby KeenCook2 » Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:42 pm

Thx, both, fortunately it's not the smoked fillets, but the sliced stuff for sarnies, bagels etc.
:thumbsup

Posts: 2386
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:12 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby liketocook » Thu Aug 12, 2021 5:46 pm

KeenCook2 wrote:Thx, both, fortunately it's not the smoked fillets, but the sliced stuff for sarnies, bagels etc.
:thumbsup

Did you try it?

Posts: 3511
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:42 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby KeenCook2 » Thu Aug 12, 2021 5:49 pm

Not yesterday as we had to finish some other stuff up, will deffo report back :D Today/tomorrow ....

Posts: 2386
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:12 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby liketocook » Thu Aug 12, 2021 5:54 pm

KeenCook2 wrote:Not yesterday as we had to finish some other stuff up, will deffo report back :D Today/tomorrow ....

:crossed :)

Posts: 886
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:38 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby ZeroCook » Fri Aug 13, 2021 2:34 am

.
I'm going to stick my neck out and say that it's still perfectly fine KC2. It's sealed, it's salted and as mentioned it is a preserving method tho not hugely long term. It's also vacuum sealed and probably pasteurised. I've eaten opened smoked salmon after a week to ten days in the fridge with no ill effects.

User avatar
Posts: 4920
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North West London

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby Pepper Pig » Fri Aug 13, 2021 10:25 am

On the same note, I have a vacuum-sealed pack of Lidl Cheddar which is, believe it or not, over a year past it’s Sell By date. It looks OK.

Would you?

Posts: 3511
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:42 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby KeenCook2 » Fri Aug 13, 2021 10:27 am

Thx, ZC, In the past, I have also eaten it several days after it's been opened :crossed

Yup, PP, I'd open it and give it a go (unless you want to keep it as a museum speicimen :lol: )

User avatar
Posts: 5297
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:58 am
Location: Wiltshire

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby Earthmaiden » Fri Aug 13, 2021 11:07 am

I would, re the cheese. I remember FCQ describing how to trim, wash and rewrap cheese which looked suspect. People like StokeySue and BM will know the scientific facts but I didn't think that old, hard cheeses could do people much harm.

User avatar
Posts: 1137
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 6:03 pm

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby Busybee » Fri Aug 13, 2021 11:18 am

I’d definitely eat both the salmon and cheese, not that I’m particularly fond of salmon. The cheese may not be great for eating as is but I’m sure it would be fine grated for cooking etc.

BB

Posts: 456
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:59 am

Re: Eating out-of-date stuff

Postby Kacey » Fri Aug 13, 2021 1:33 pm

Being back in the office for the first time in 16 months, I'm happily drinking the cup a soups that were still in my drawer. Funnily it was the 'youngest' with a best before date of Jan 21 that's the only one that tastes a bit stale.

Previous

Return to Food Chat & Chatterbox

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests