The lesson
01
Reading a food label
A food label is a short guide to what’s inside. FSANZ suggests checking several parts of the label before food is prepared.
Storage advice isn’t fixed. The Food Safety Information Council points out that recipes change: some jams and sauces are now made with less sugar or salt, so a product you once kept in the pantry may now need the fridge. Check the label.
- Ingredients and allergen statements, for anyone with a food allergy
- Storage instructions, especially whether the food needs refrigeration
- The date mark, such as a ‘use by’ date
- Cooking instructions, which FSANZ says to follow without short cuts
Source:Food Standards Australia New Zealand — Food safety basics (opens in a new tab)Food Safety Information Council — Food safety tips (opens in a new tab)
02
Use-by and best-before dates
The two date marks mean different things. FSANZ advises not to eat food after its ‘use by’ date. The Food Safety Information Council adds that such food can’t legally be sold after that date.
A ‘best before’ date is about quality instead. After it, food may have lost some quality or nutritional value.
- Use by: a safety date. Don’t eat the food after it
- Best before: a quality date. Food can still be sold after it if fit to eat
- Bread that keeps under seven days may show a ‘baked on’ or ‘baked for’ date
- Foods that keep two years or more, like canned food, need no best-before date
Source:Food Standards Australia New Zealand — Food safety basics (opens in a new tab)Food Safety Information Council — Food safety tips (opens in a new tab)
03
Checking packaging and condition
Packaging protects food. The Food Safety Information Council explains that damaged packaging can let bacteria in. It advises against buying food that shows signs of damage.
It also suggests avoiding food with visible mould, unless the mould is meant to be there, as on some cheeses. If a date mark is hidden or can’t be read, ask staff or choose another pack.
- Cans that are swollen, leaking, rusty or badly dented
- Broken tamper seals or damaged seams
- Damage noticed at home: return it to the store or call the manufacturer
Source:Food Safety Information Council — Food safety tips (opens in a new tab)
04
Buying chilled and frozen food
Chilled and frozen foods need to stay cold. Between 5°C and 60°C, the ‘temperature danger zone’, bacteria can grow to unsafe levels.
The Food Safety Information Council suggests collecting chilled and frozen items last, carrying them in insulated bags, and going straight home. It warns against leaving shopping in a hot car.
- Don’t buy ‘keep refrigerated’ items that aren’t being kept cold, and tell the store
- Keep hot foods apart from chilled and frozen food on the way home
- Pack raw meat, poultry and seafood in a separate, leak-proof bag
- Put chilled and frozen food away as soon as you get home
Source:Food Safety Information Council — Food safety tips (opens in a new tab)Food Standards Australia New Zealand — Food safety basics (opens in a new tab)
05
Choosing food for other people
When we choose food for someone else, their needs come first. FSANZ suggests checking ingredients and allergen statements for anyone with a food allergy, and avoiding higher-risk foods for people vulnerable to illness.
The Food Safety Information Council gives soft cheeses and deli meats as examples of foods some vulnerable people are advised to avoid, because of the risk of listeriosis. If you are taking food to someone in aged care, it suggests checking the home’s rules with staff first.
Source:Food Standards Australia New Zealand — Food safety basics (opens in a new tab)Food Safety Information Council — Food safety tips (opens in a new tab)