{"id":13274,"date":"2025-08-28T07:56:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T07:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sprintzerofoodwaste.eu\/?p=13274"},"modified":"2025-08-28T09:20:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T09:20:04","slug":"fechas-consumo-preferente-alimentos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sprintzerofoodwaste.eu\/en\/fechas-consumo-preferente-alimentos\/","title":{"rendered":"The Truth About \u201cBest Before\u201d Dates: Don\u2019t Throw Away Food Too Soon!"},"content":{"rendered":"

When buying food at the supermarket, we usually perform the automatic action of checking the date printed on the packaging. And that\u2019s where the confusion begins. Even though it seems simple, we don\u2019t always understand what it really means. Expiration dates and best before dates are two very different categories. And no, they are not the same. Las fechas de caducidad y las de consumo preferente son dos categor\u00edas distintas.<\/strong> Y no, no son iguales.<\/p>\n

La The expiration date<\/strong> appears on very delicate foods, the kind that don\u2019t forgive, like meat, fish, or fresh dairy. This date is the safety limit. After that day, it\u2019s best not to risk it, because the food would no longer be safe to eat. The product may look normal, but eating it could harm your health.<\/p>\n

Best before dates, on the other hand,<\/strong> don\u2019t refer to safety but to quality. They mean that after that date, maybe the yogurt won\u2019t taste as fresh, the bread might lose its fluffiness, or the cookies could be less crunchy. But the food is still safe to eat if it has been properly stored. <\/u><\/p>\n

The problem is that many people confuse the two dates\u2026 and end up throwing away food that is still perfectly edible. That doesn\u2019t just mean wasting money, it also means wasting resources, energy, and the effort of those who produced it.<\/p>\n

Now, the big question is: how long can foods still be consumed after that best before date?<\/strong><\/p>\n