It is believed that the most familiar with the operation of the kitchen and the storage of ingredients in the housing enterprise is the maid at home. Did Employers have given any instructions to maids about unopened and buried food that is about to expire?
Except for maids, many people do not know the difference between "best before" and "use by".
"Best before" dates relate to food quality for example taste, texture, aroma and appearance. If the food is stored properly, it can reasonably be expected to retain its specific properties up to and including the specified date. In general, foods that do not contain and/or support the growth of food poisoning bacteria (e.g. canned foods and frozen foods), as well as foods that require cooking or other processing to reduce or eliminate food poisoning bacteria before consumption (e.g. fresh meat) may carry a "best before" date. A "best before" date may also be applied to foods, such as plain bread, that obviously spoiled (e.g. mouldy, rancid or stale) before posing a food safety risk to the consumer.
"Use by" dates refer to food safety. From microbiological point of view, the food is highly perishable and is therefore likely after a short period to constitute an immediate danger to human health. For instance, some refrigerated ready-to-eat foods that may contain and support the growth of food poisoning bacteria to unsafe levels before noticeably spoiled should carry a "use by" date. Currently, there is no definitive list of which foods should carry a particular type of date mark. The trade, particularly the manufacturers who are the ones more familiar with the nature of and ingredients used in the final product, has the responsibility to set the appropriate date mark i.e. either a "best before" or "use by" date, together with the storage instructions (e.g. "keep refrigerated") to achieve the stated shelf life.
X "Best before" and "use by" dates are the same.
Fact: A "best before" date relates to food quality. If the food is stored properly, it can reasonably be expected to retain its specific properties up to and including the specified date. Yet, a "use by" date relates to food safety. From microbiological point of view, the food is highly perishable and is therefore likely after a short period to constitute an immediate danger to human health.
X It is unsafe to eat any food beyond the designated date regardless it is "best before" or "use by".
Fact: After the "use by" date, the food may be unsafe to eat (due to the presence and/or excessive growth of harmful microorganisms as well as toxins produced by food poisoning microorganisms) even if it looks and smells fine. However, beyond the "best before" date, the food may still be acceptable to eat though it may have lost some of its quality, e.g. a loaf of plain bread after its "best before" date may still be safe to eat but may become dry and leathery.
X Certain type of food should carry a particular type of date mark.
Fact: Currently, there is no definitive list of which foods should carry a particular type of date mark. As traders, particularly the manufacturers, are the ones who understand the properties of their products best, they have the responsibility to set the appropriate date mark for consumers to make informed food choices. They should consult with technical experts on the microbiological risks posed by their products before giving a "use by" or "best before" date mark.
In fact, employers can teach Filipino maids and Indonesian maids to use different methods to handle food ingredients. In addition to reducing waste, they can also contribute to environmental protection. E.g:
For unopened food or sauces that are not used, you can instruct the maid to collect it, hand it over to the employer, and then donate it to Food Wise.
Teach Filipino maids and Indonesian maids to distinguish between "best before" and "use by" date labels*, and never throw away food immediately to reduce food waste.
Teach Filipino maids and Indonesian maids the meaning behind donating food.
Source: Food Wise and FEHD
