Some foods can be eaten months after the expiration date

Too good to throw away: best before date promotes food waste

According to experts, at least 11 million tons of food ends up in Germany every year. Much of this food could still be consumed. Consumer advocates point out that especially the incorrect handling of the best before date (MHD) contributes significantly to the food waste.

Waste of food

Every year, millions of tons of food end up in the garbage, even though they are often still edible. Experts advise against throwing food away hastily, but often the best before date is misunderstood. In most cases, food will last longer than indicated. Some can even be consumed months or even years after the expiry date of the MHD.

Every year, at least eleven million tons of food ends up in Germany. Especially the incorrect use of the best before date contributes to this waste. (Image: highwaystarz / fotolia.com)

Can a product with expired MHD still be consumed without hesitation?

The Fraunhofer Institute recently presented a small food scanner that detects whether a product is still stable by detecting the actual degree of freshness of food using infrared light.

According to the experts, the device is said to help reduce the waste of food.

The Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg, the Tafel Deutschland e.V. and the Wiener Tafel also start an action to reduce food waste.

As the consumer advocates report in a communication, the consumer information on the best before date and the question: Can a product with expired MHD still be consumed without hesitation, in focus.

People should trust in their own senses

According to the announcement, at least eleven million tons of food in Germany end up in the bin instead of on the dinner table every year. Much of this waste could be avoided.

In Austria there are 760,000 tonnes, around 577,000 of which are considered preventable. Above all, the incorrect handling of the best before date (MHD) contributes significantly to the food waste.

"The best before date is not a consumption date! Food can be kept for days, weeks or even months after it expires, "said Jochen Brühl, Chairman of Tafel Deutschland e.V.

"With our campaign, we want to encourage people to trust their senses, to smell, to taste, to simply taste, whether something is still good or not," says Brühl.

"There is a lot of discussion here, as shown by our published poster for the MHD, which has become an absolute internet tool. Nearly 2 million people have seen it in the social media, thousands discuss it. "

On the poster and in a flyer you can see different foods with the respective note, how long they can be consumed beyond the best before date.

For many of them, the note "+1 year" is given.

Impeccable food is thrown away

"Wiener Tafel has hit a nerve with our findings on the shelf life of various foods," Dr. Alexandra Gruber, Managing Director of the Wiener Tafel and Chairperson of the Association of Austrian Tables.

"We liked to share them with the Tafel Deutschland as the basis for the poster and are pleased that our findings can draw even wider circles."

Both the staff and the people being supported are aware: "The best before date is a guide, just as important is the control of the enjoyability with your own senses - looking, smelling, feeling, tasting", Dr. Gruber.

"For fear of health hazards, many people unfortunately always throw flawless food in the trash," added Silke Schwartau, head of the Department of Food and Food at the Consumer Center Hamburg.

"You do not have to be afraid of food infections if you trust your own senses. But many consumers are uncertain about this, "said the expert.

"A checklist that we have published helps advice seekers to better understand if a food is still good or in the bin." (Ad)