Experts emphasize that you can eat these foods a day later if you subject them to prolonged heat treatment beforehand. The Spanish Consumer Organization has explained what foods can be eaten after the expiration date.
Experts reminded us about the need to distinguish between the minimum shelf life and the consumption period.
The first of these shows that the product in question has lost its organoleptic qualities, but it can still be safely eaten. And the use-by date is indicated for perishable products such as raw meat, chicken, and fish, and it must be followed strictly, experts emphasize.
According to the Spanish consumer organization, the following products can be eaten after the expiration date:
- Yogurt;
- Bread for toast;
- Dried fruits;
- Dried sausage;
- Dried cheese;
- Canned tomatoes;
- Pasta;
- Chips;
- Rice
- Beans;
- Soft drinks;
- Bakery products and biscuits;
- Alcohol;
- Jam;
- Instant soup.
If bread and pastries start to dry out, experts advise using them to make puddings, French toast, tiramisu, breadcrumbs, garlic soup, or croutons. Sausage products should be frozen before the expiration date, experts recommend. Cheeses can also be frozen, but their structure changes due to freezing and they become drier. The same goes for fruits and vegetables.
But if fresh vegetables and fruits begin to rot or become moldy, they can be eaten after removing the damaged area with a large margin, experts say. However, experts recommend doing this with caution, as mold can penetrate deep into the product and release toxic substances that can cause cancer and genetic changes.
As for fresh meat and fish, experts advise either freezing the product or cooking it. In addition, experts emphasize that these products can be eaten a day later if they are subjected to prolonged heat treatment to get rid of possible pathogens.