According to a new Cornell University-led study, changing the wording on expiration dates on perishable food items - which is currently unregulated and widely variable - could help reduce food waste.
A consumer survey discovered that certain wording, such as "best by," as opposed to "best if used by," had the potential to reduce food waste, but the results varied depending on the type of food in question.
Predictably, the more perishable a food item, the more likely it is to be discarded.
Words matter in food freshness, safety messaging
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Shuay-Tsyr Ho, assistant professor of agricultural economics at National Taiwan University; Florine Livat, associate professor of economics at the Kedge Business School in Talence, France, and a former Dyson visiting scholar; and Abigail Okrent of the United States were co-authors. Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Rickard and his colleagues discovered that the words "use" or "use by" seemed to speak more directly to the perceived food safety implications of consuming food after the expiration date listed on the package, potentially leading to an increase in food waste, as per ScienceDaily.
The phrase "best by" appeared to refer solely to food quality beyond a specific date, resulting in less waste.
According to Rickard, the motivation for this work stems from the "wild west" landscape of food date labels, which is expected to be driven in part by manufacturers' desire to sell more products.
The Food Date Labeling Act has introduced nearly a year ago in both the U.S. The House of Representatives and the Senate are working together to reduce food waste.
"You go into the yogurt section at the grocery store and you see many different labels - some say 'use by,' some say 'best by,' some say 'best if used by,' some say 'fresh by,' and there are no rules about this," he explained.
The researchers asked participants to rate their likelihood of discarding 15 different food and beverage items that were one day past the stated date code on a one to five scale (five being extremely likely).
The question in the first section of the survey only included the expiration date code (i.e. date/month/year); in the second section, the question included both a date code and a date label with one of ten different wording variations.
Four of the date label variations were similar to those commonly used in the United States: "Best if used by"; "Best by"; "Use by"; and "Sell by."
The other six included a date label and a biosensor, a visual indicator of food quality.
Rickard also stated that the novelty of the biosensor technology resonated with survey participants in the United States, and that when it was presented to participants as green (fresh), it resulted in significantly lower discard rates.
According to the researchers, one of the unintended consequences of a more uniform approach to date labels is an increase in food waste depending on the wording of the label, as well as an increase in the re-purchasing of perishable items high in protein, fat, and cholesterol.
Food waste occurs throughout the food supply chain, from production to consumption.
Examples include spoilage during storage and transportation, as well as exposure to insects and rodents, bacteria, or mold, as per Mayo Clinic.
Sorting out blemished or imperfect produce costs money, as does buy more than you need or can consume. Not only is edible food wasted, but so is all of the energy, fertilizer, and land use that went into producing it.
Planning at least a few meals each week is an excellent way to ensure that you are eating healthy foods. It also keeps you from buying too much food because you feel obligated to stock up.
Plan your meals so that you don't use entirely different ingredients for each recipe.
For example, serve broccoli as a side dish one night and as a casserole the next.
Begin by purchasing only what you can eat in a week. Greens in a plastic container in the crisper drawer with a paper towel, tomatoes and bananas on the counter, potatoes and onions in a cool, dark place, and fresh herbs in a glass of water.
Keep frozen fruits and vegetables on hand in case you consume all of your fresh produce before your next grocery run.
Buying imperfect food, which refers to misshaped or oddly shaped fruits and vegetables, has never been easier. Some companies will deliver "ugly" foods to you on a monthly basis if you sign up for a subscription.
To get your hands on some imperfect produce, you can also start a relationship with a local farmer through a community-supported agriculture or farmers market.
Remember not to buy bruised or spoiled produce.
Find ways to use old food instead of throwing it away. Soup stock can be made from vegetable scraps and peels. Soft apples or blueberries pair well with cooked oatmeal.
Stale bread can also be used to make croutons or egg strata. Slightly wilted vegetables work well in soups and stir-fries. One of the best things about soup is that it can be made out of almost anything.
