The term ‘SHELF-LIFE’ in
terms of food consumption has been garnering huge attention nowadays. What is
Shelf-life? Shelf-life is the length of time a food can be stored without affecting
its safety and quality. Shelf life of a food begins from the time the food is
manufactured and is dependent on many factors such as its manufacturing
process, type of packaging, storage conditions and ingredients.
To
gain a better understanding we need to learn some basic terms of food industry:
What is “Lot Number” printed at the back of
a food cover?
A lot number is a number
given to batch of food materials being manufactured as a whole at the same
time. This lot no. plays an important role in recalling a food product if it is
harmful for consumption later.
What
is an “Expiry date” mentioned in the
wrapper of a food?
An
expiry date is the timespan till which a food is safe for consumption.
Consuming food items beyond expiry date may lead to food poisoning.
Why
do companies provide “Best Before dates”
on their food?
A
best-before date reflects the length of time a food
retains its best quality e.g. flavour. This does not mean that food is unsafe
to consume after this period.
We keep stacking huge
quantities of food products in our refrigerators. Food items that are stored
for longer periods may pose serious threat to our health condition. So it
becomes imperative for us to use food as per their ‘shelf-life’. Also foods
become void of their nutrients if consumed beyond their shelf-life. Consumers should always follow manufacturers’
instructions on storage, particularly temperature and use of the product after
opening. The consumers must also consider shelf-life information when
purchasing foods to avoid unnecessary food waste (e.g.) unlike foods with expiry
dates, many foods with best-before dates will be safe to eat even if this date
has passed.
TECHNIQUES
FOR SAFE FOOD CONSUMPTION:
·
Always shop refrigerated products such as
curd and cheese at the time of billing in a supermarket rather than picking
them up front.
·
Don’t buy canned food products if the can
appears to be crushed or damaged as the food inside may have been spoilt.
·
Avoid buying scratches and cracked eggs. Wash
the egg before boiling. While boiling pour the egg after water gets heated.
·
Never store potatoes, beetroots and onions in
fridge. This reduces their shelf-life. They may also sprout under cool
temperatures causing them unusable.
·
Store spinach in plastic covers with small
pores to avoid from getting spoiled.
·
Refrigerate idly and dosa flour only after
fermentation. It is always recommended
to prepare flour for our consumption in our household itself.
·
Preserve grains and pulses in air tight
containers. This increases their lifespan.
·
Meat items must be consumed instantly. Soak
the refrigerated meat in cold water before cooking. Stored partially cooked
meat must be heated only once before consumption.
CSCR
strategy:
A. CLEAN:
Always
cook food after thorough wash in order to improve shelf-life. This also kills
germs and keeps the food healthy.
B. SEPARATE:
Always separate vegetables, fruits and other
food items in good condition separately to avoid them from being spoilt soon.
C. COOK:
Food materials must be cooked properly at
appropriate temperatures.
D. REFRIGERATE:
Never
leave excess food items outside for more than 2 hours. Make it a practice to
store excess food in fridge.
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