Thousands of tons of food are wasted annually due to the confusion between different dates indicated on the labels. Experts clarify what may or may not be consumed after the deadline.
Food waste remains a significant problem in Portugal and the European Union, with a substantial part of the products discarded still in a position to be consumed. The confusion between “expiration date” and “minimum durability date” has led many consumers to lay out foods that are still suitable for consumption.
European legislation requires certain food products to have a “expiration date”, which indicates the period until the product can be safely consumed. Foods such as fresh meat, fish and dairy products are examples of perishable goods that, exceeding the deadline, may pose a health risk.
The “minimum durability date”, often accompanied by the mention of “consuming preferably before”, is different. In this case, the deadline does not mean that food becomes automatically inappropriate for consumption after this date, but that there may be a change in taste, texture or nutritional value. Products such as pasta, rice, preserves and some dairy products are examples of foods that may remain fit for consumption even after the indicated deadline.
According to the European Commission, about 10% of EU food waste is related to the misinterpretation of these deadlines. In Portugal, a study of indicated that 40% of consumers lie away products that are still able to consume, and 14% report discarding remains of meals that could be reused.
Some European countries have already adopted measures to reduce food waste associated with these dates. In the United Kingdom and Denmark, for example, some supermarket chains eliminated the indication of the “minimum durability date” in long conservation products such as cereals, rice and yogurts. The goal is to encourage consumers to evaluate food based on the appearance, smell and taste rather than strictly following the date entered in the packaging.
In Portugal, the theme has been debated, and some initiatives seek to promote more conscious consumption. The government has studied ways to reduce food waste, including incentives for redistribution of products near the end of the deadline and awareness campaigns on the correct interpretation of labels. However, the success of these initiatives will largely depend on the collaboration between producers, distributors and consumers.
Also read:
