Thriving trade in out-of-date best-before foods

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 09:37

Thousands of tonnes of food are binned annually in the UK because of confusion over use-by dates. But those willing to overlook the labels are finding big online discounts on food past its prime.

The UK appears to be a nation of food wasters, throwing away 8.3 million tonnes every year. That is a mountain of leftovers, enough to fill 4,700 Olympic-sized swimming pools, says the government's anti-waste arm, Wrap.

Of that, 5.3 million tonnes could have been eaten, it claims.



Would you eat food past it’s ‘best buy date’?



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8326756.stm

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 09:39

I wouldn't but I would sell it cheap to the prisons in the UK and save the country some money!

CapeWines


Joined: 11/08/2009
Posts: 14

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 12:00

There is an enormous difference between 'best before' and 'sell by' and 'consume by' dates.



'Best before' is purely a matter of opinion. Consuming something after its 'Best Before' date is certainly not likely to do you any harm.

rocking


Joined: 05/11/2008
Posts: 421

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 18:15

I think putting dates on many of the tinned stuff is an absolute con.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 18:24

The only time I'd worry is on Cook Chill food in the UK. I might use 1 day after consume by date.

As for tins I agree it is a con.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 19:02

CapeWines



Spot on. Though meat in the UK is never hung long enough so always cook it 3/4 days after the indicated date.



Richard

Jetski


Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 584

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 20:02

Richard - agree with you, but generally it's only the supermarkets that fail to hang meat properly - the British public (most of them) consider a nice bit of steak to be one thats nice and red and dripping blood, and the supermarkets pander to this. Find a good local, organic butcher and you can be virtually assured that the meat will have been treated properly.



'Best before' dates are a construct of the supermarkets and marketing industry to ensure that consumers keep returning to the stores to replace goods. All a huge con.

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 20:09

Jetski - good points. I would never buy a piece of beef, steak, joint or otherwise, that was that awful scarlet colour and running blood, especially the beef that has bits of fat tied on the top. I've always wondered why people tend to prefer the look of this, and, as you rightly say, supermarkets pander to this.



Agree also with the 'sell by'/'use buy' dates. If it smells OK, we eat it. Haven't killed anyone yet

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
11/11/2009 23:44

maybe they are not alive to tell the tale.....

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
12/11/2009

If it smells ok eat it in my opinion.



Although I bought some lamb chops here a few weeks ago from Lemar, day later smelled disgusting. Still eat them tho and they were ok.



RE 8. Not seen any good joints of beef that actually have the fat still on anyway. Wheres a good place to buy joints of meat? Preferably cheap, size you want, etc. When bought the lamb chops in lemar I had actually wanted a small leg of lamb. Asked If I could have the end of one of the ones on butchers counter and they said no. All or none!!! Wasting paying 50TL + for something wasn't goint to eat.

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 00:06

Hiya Bill I would consider best before but not use by They have to cover themselves. Mike you are hard pressed here love to find good butchers as they do not know how to hang meat. We hang our beef for 3 weeks. The lamb recently has been awful now i hear fror the bayram the price is going up 80 per cent x

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 00:07

Best I've come across though wrong side of Town for me, Nihat Yalcin butchers, behind and opposite to Pia Bella Hotel/Mollies bar.



Richard

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 00:11

Thanks for replies Lilli and Brinsley.



I know the butcher, Brinsley, never been in though. Will Give it a go.

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 01:08

Mike, Richard & Liz



Not too fussy with food, but very fussy with meat (if you know what I mean). Tonight we had French trimmed rack of lamb. Pink. The only beef joint I buy these days is Aberdeen Angus forerib - hugely expensive and a bit of a treat, but you could cut it with a spoon.



Don't mind what I pay for meat, so long as it's nice.



J

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 07:19

Lilli - the meat available in TRNC for human consumption: we wouldn't give it to a dog in New Zealand!

minertor



Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 1238

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 07:23

The newish butcher's shop next to Mr Pound, Girne sells dry aged beef joints. Expensive but worth it.

Nihat Yalcin Bros. have a shop on a garage forecourt on road to Guzeleyert. It was worth the drive out there before they opened the one near Pia Bella. You can stock up on cheaper booze at the same time now.



Tony

minertor



Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 1238

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 12:49

Just my luck to take my own advice and visit Yalcin's butchers near Pia Bella. Picked a piece of beef, marked at 23.90tl, some lamb cutlets, same price and a piece of liver with a price tag of 12.80tl. I was charged 84tl. Arriving home I weighed the beef: 1.5kg, the lamb was exactly 1kg, the liver was 12.80tl. Should have been charged 72.55tl. Should have asked for a receipt but never had a problem at Guzeleyert, except they don't speak English there, Pia Bella shop do. Won't be going again.



Tony

smoggyjim


Joined: 21/07/2007
Posts: 214

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 13:41

Nothing wrong with the meat from the butchers at Alsancak opposite the Statue

stilluvithere



Joined: 03/12/2008
Posts: 765

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 14:26

best before date is a date that is put on by the manufacturers and they will only guarantee the quality up to that date so it perfectly ok to eat after that date. A sell by date means that by law the product cannot be sold.

To message 2. I am a retired prison officer caterer and I used to buy a lot of short dated food very cheap btu once the date had gone by I could not use it, if prisoners became aware this was happening any money saved would possibly be lost by the trouble it could cause

MarkVPiazza


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 530

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 18:22

Try the local liver, it's very cheap and very tasty, and very good for you - much better than the "lamb" recently !



Mark

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
12/11/2009 18:27

msg19



They should eat slop anway. They're scum