Keeping an eye on use by dates

[Dr Murdoch]

Apologies for what is a dumb question

But how do the PH massive keep track of use by dates once you have removed food from packaging and then returned it to the fridge in cling film?

Ive just cooked 3 out of 8 sausages, 5 have gone back in the fridge. I assume a white / black board is the answer, but are there other tips that am missing?

[boxst]

If it doesn't smell funny or actually have mould on it then off you go

[marshalla]

boxst said:

If it doesn't smell funny or actually have mould on it then off you go

This is the right answer. "Use by" dates are an indication, at best, and really only meaningful in the shop where it's a sign that the stock isn't moving fast enough.

[calibrax]

As already said, trust your senses.

But failing that... a Sharpie pen can write on clingfilm

[Silver993tt]

Unless the sausages are organic, from the day you buy them the nitrites used as preservative are going to do you much, much more harm than a slightly 'off' sausage after a few days.

[calibrax]

Silver993tt said:

Unless the sausages are organic, from the day you buy them the nitrites used as preservative are going to do you much, much more harm than a slightly 'off' sausage after a few days.

I'm pretty sure that taking advice from a veggie regarding sausages is not going to be a good idea...

[Silver993tt]

calibrax said:

I'm pretty sure that taking advice from a veggie regarding sausages is not going to be a good idea...

I'm not a vegetarian but I do take my food content and sourcing seriously. It's not very difficult, just accepting that some things are clearly bad for ones health and avoiding them very easily.

[motco]

Ignore best-before, and write use by on the calendar. The probably ignore them too...

[BrabusMog]

I just ate three chicken legs that were 4 days "out of date". I'll report back next week if I'm still alive.

[All that jazz]

marshalla said:

boxst said:

If it doesn't smell funny or actually have mould on it then off you go

This is the right answer. "Use by" dates are an indication, at best, and really only meaningful in the shop where it's a sign that the stock isn't moving fast enough.

Smell and look is best indicator. Sausages should be OK for a couple of days once opened but keep an eye because raw pork and chicken in particular are the two main meats that 'turn' the quickest, but the smell will tell you when that happens.

[carinatauk]

Use By: the date at which the microbiological levels exceed recommended levels, also an indicator for when food products start going rancid and likely to cause you grief of the toilet kind. The issues are the toxins created by the microbes.

Cooking helps. Freezing helps.

Nothing worse than getting a mouth full of rancid meat.

Best Before: no real risks but food may not taste the same and when it's in date

Having worked in the food industry, I don't take the risk too often

[HTP99]

I just go by smell, appearance and whether I think x amount of days open is perhaps too long; as do both the wife and the youngest (16 yo), my wife is a little less relaxed than me or my daughter on how long something has been sat in the fridge opened but she's still pretty chilled about it all.

We've never had food poisoning

The eldest; when she lived with us, was a nightmare for use by dates and chucking things out as soon as they had hit their date or "once opened consume within 3 days" Information, to the point that we now chuck out only one full kitchen caddy of food per week, when it used to be 2 or 3 when she lived with us.

Edited by HTP99 on Sunday 6th December 16:32