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| Script: Understanding Food
Product Dating |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service Food Safety
at home podcast series. These podcasts were designed with
you in mind - the consumer - who purchases and prepares meat, poultry
and processed meat, egg products for your family and friends.
Each episode will bring you a different food safety topic ranging
from safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat, poultry and
processed egg products to the importance of keeping foods safe during
a power outage.
So sit back, turn up the volume and listen in.
Host:
Welcome to “Food Safety at Home.” I’m Kathy Bernard with the FSIS’
Food Safety Education Staff, and I’m your host for this segment
about food product dating.
Every day, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline receives calls from
consumers about the dates on food products. Today, Technical Information
Specialists Nadine Shaw and Carol McAlman will create a dramatization
of our more common calls and questions about food product dating.
Hello and welcome to the show.
Technical Information Specialist:
Thank you. Welcome to the Meat and Poultry Hotline.
Let’s listen to our first call…
Technical Information Specialist:
Good morning, USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, how may I help you?
Consumer:
Hi, I have a few questions about dates on food products and I noticed
that not all products are dated. Isn’t it a Federal law that all
products be dated?
Technical Information Specialist:
Except for infant formula and some baby food, product dating is
not generally required by Federal regulations. Also, there is no
uniform or universally accepted system used for food dating in the
United States. Although dating of some foods is required by more
than 20 states, there are areas of the country where much of the
food supply has some type of open date and other areas where almost
no food is dated.
If a manufacturer wants to put a calendar date on a food product,
it must be accompanied by a phrase explaining the meaning of the
date, such as "sell-by" or "use-by."
Consumer:
Ok, so what do “sell-by” and “use-by” dates mean?
Technical Information Specialist:
The “sell-by” date tells the store how long to display the product
for sale. Consumers should buy the product before the “sell-by”
date expires. If it’s a perishable product, you may keep it in the
refrigerator for no longer than the recommended storage time. However,
if the product is frozen, it will stay safe indefinitely…even after
the “sell-by” date expires.
“Use-by” dates usually refer to the best quality of a product and
not to its safety. “Use-by” dates are determined by the manufacturer
indicates when to use the product while it is at its peak quality.
Consumer:
Should I throw food away if the“ use-by” date expires?
Technical Information Specialist:
Even if the product use-by date expires during home storage, it
should be safe when handled properly. If it’s a perishable product,
this means keeping it at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or below. But it
won’t last forever, make sure to check the USDA Refrigerator and
Freezer Storage chart, at www.fsis.usda.gov
for recommended storage times.
Consumer:
What about other types of dates found on food products?
Technical Information Specialist:
Sometimes food products have a “best-if-used by” date, which is
the recommended date for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase
or safety date.
Consumer:
What about the codes or numbers on canned goods? I can never read
them…..
Technical Information Specialist:
Cans have packing codes that may contain a series of letters or
numbers. These codes help track canned products in the market place
in case they’re recalled. The packing codes also help manufacturers
and grocers rotate their stock.
Consumer: This is great information!
I just thought of something else I need to ask.
I was cleaning my refrigerator one day and found some items with
expired dates. I threw out the old food that was moldy or that I
didn’t even remember buying….. you know, when in doubt, throw it
out!
Do you have any advice on food handling and storage of products
that don’t have dates?
Technical Information Specialist:
Yes! We sure Do!
- First of all bring all perishables home immediately after
purchase and refrigerate them promptly, or freeze them if you
won’t be able to use them within the recommended time frame.
- and remember frozen product will stay safe indefinitely.
- Of course you should follow handling recommendations on
all products.
- and finally don’t forget to reference the USDA refrigerator
and freezer storage chart on the FSIS Web site.
Consumer:
Thank you so much I appreciate the help.
Technical Information Specialist:
Thank you for calling the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline! Call us
anytime, we are available M-F 10am-4pm eastern time.
Host:
Let’s take another call…..
Technical Information Specialist:
Good Morning! USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, may I help you?
Consumer:
Yesterday I bought a fresh turkey with a “use by date” of today.
I accidentally left it in my car all night. I was planning on cooking
the turkey today, but now I’m worried that it won’t be safe to eat.
It was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit in my garage last night, can
I still use it?
Technical Information Specialist:
Well, The date is not the issue in this situation….
Even though the product is still within its “use-by” date time frame,
it was accidentally mishandled. When a perishable food is left at
room temperature for more than two hours (or one hour above 90 degrees,
don’t use it! Bacteria can grow quickly and cause foodborne illness,
no matter what date is on the package.
And of course, if food develops an off odor, flavor, or an unusual
appearance, don’t that either!
Consumer:
Oh, I’m so glad I called you. So, where can I find more information
about the safe storage of food?
Technical Information Specialist:
FSIS’ Web site contains more information on the safe handling and
storage of food products. Visit
www.fsis.usda.gov, where
you can also find the USDA’s Refrigerator and Freezer Home Storage
Chart. Another good source for home food storage information is
the “Food Keeper” from the Food Marketing Institute. You can find
the Food Keeper by visiting www.FMI.org.
Consumer:
Thank you.
Technical Information Specialist:
Thank you for calling the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline!
Host:
Nadine, where can our listeners get answers other food safety questions?
Technical Information Specialist: Listeners can
Ask Karen, FSIS’ virtual representative, food safety questions or
Chat with Karen, at askkaren.gov.
They can also call the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674
to ask questions in English or Spanish.
Host:
We’ve been listening to calls received by the USDA Meat and Poultry
Hotline about food product dating.
Thank you so much for joining us.
I’m Kathy Bernard and I’d like to thank you for joining us for this
episode of “Food Safety at Home.” And remember, “Be Food Safe.”
Outro:
Well, that's all for this time. Thanks for joining us today
for another episode of food safety at home!
For answers to your food safety questions call USDA's toll-free
Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline. That's 1-888-674-6854.
You can also get answers to food safety questions online from our
virtual representative "Ask Karen" at
askkaren.gov .
Let us know what you think of this podcast by sending your comments
to
podcast@fsis.usda.gov.
Thanks for tuning in. |
Last Modified:
February 18, 2010 |
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