Dear visitor,
To provide you with the best possible service, we use cookies. Some cookies are necessary for the operation of the website. Other cookies for anonymous statistics, language preferences or the display of third-party content are optional. Depending on your choice, your consent also includes a transfer of data to recipients in third countries without an adequate level of data protection, such as the USA in particular, with the risk of access by authorities there without legal recourse. Under Data Privacy, you will find further information and can adjust the settings for cookies at any time.
| Name | Description | Retention Period |
|---|---|---|
| _mg | This cookie used for the user's authentication. | Session |
| allowedCookie | This cookie stores whether a decision has already been made to use cookies or not. | Session |
| allowedUserCookieCategories | This cookie stores the consent given by the visitor to the use of cookies and to the integration of third-party content (see below for selection) for current session. | Session |
| ASP.NET_SessionId | This cookie stores the visitors session state to ensure smooth communication between server and client. | Session |
| lang | This cookie stores the language chosen by the visitor for the duration of the session. | Session |
| sxa_site | This cookie stores the name of the site | Session |
| theme | This cookie stores the theme value | Session |
| __RequestVerificationToken | This cookie stores the visitors request verification token to ensure smooth communication between server and client. | Session |
| Name | Description | Retention Period |
|---|---|---|
| consentfuture | This cookie stores the consent given by the visitor to the use of cookies and to the integration of third-party content (see below for selection) for future sessions. | 390 days |
| langfuture | This cookie stores the language selected by the visitor for future sessions, in case preference cookies were accepted. | 390 days |
| themefuture | This cookie stores the theme selected by the visitor for future sessions, in case preference cookies were accepted. | 390 days |
| Name | Description | Retention Period |
|---|---|---|
| _fbp | This facebook cookie enables the collection of anonymised statistics about the use of articles and content on this website in the facebook business manager. | 90 Days |
| Name | Description | Retention Period |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | This cookie is used to distinguish users. We use the web analysis service Google Analytics of Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; "Google") on our website. For details, please refer to the cookie policy of Google Analytics | 2 Years |
| _ga_property-id | This cookie is used to persist session state. We use the web analysis service Google Analytics of Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; "Google") on our website. For details, please refer to the cookie policy of Google Analytics | 2 Years |
| Name | Description | Retention Period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| You Tube | The YouTube videos embedded on these pages use a number of cookies for display. For details, please refer to the privacy policy of Google. | For details, please refer to the privacy policy of the service provider mentioned in the description. |
Everyone knows the best-before date (BBD). But only very few people know what it actually means. Many equate the BBD with food being edible. Once the date has passed, they throw away food. Big mistake: As long as the package is sealed, many foods can usually be enjoyed for days, weeks or even months beyond the best-before date. But what does the BBD actually represent?
The ‘best before‘ date is simply a guideline – a guarantee by the manufacturers – that the food they process and package will retain its specific properties such as smell or taste up to the specified date as long as it is properly stored. If butter, jam or noodles have expired, it means: use on your senses and check the items carefully. If you notice any changes in colour, consistency, smell or taste, the food should be discarded.
The BBD therefore means the date until when the food retains its expected quality. In addition to that, some countries also have a ‘use by‘ date on products. After expiration of the ‘use by‘ date, the food should not be used.
Whether or not a distinction is made between ‘best before‘ and ‘use by‘: For perishable goods such as minced meat, the expiry date matters. If it is exceeded, the product must not be consumed because of the risk of salmonella or coli bacteria. Foods that are indefinitely edible, such as vinegar, salt or sugar, or that grow mould or rot in a very short time, which is clearly visible to everyone, such as fruit and vegetables, do not have to carry a ‘best before’ label.
While most countries use the BBD system, the UK, Japan and Norway use ‘double best-before dates’. The corresponding food items in these countries are labelled with a sell-by date, which indicates for how long they can be sold in stores, as well as an expiry date, which indicates the actual time at which food is considered to be fit for human consumption. The purpose is to clear up misunderstandings.