Taylor Farms Recall Was Due to False Positive, but Worth Checking All Warning Labels

The FDA last week thought it had found the source to the rising cases of cyclosporiasis—the stomach bug caused by a parasite that leads to severe diarrhea. But the FDA now says the Taylor Farms lettuce sample from Mexico that prompted a recall was due to a false positive. So the cause of the outbreak is undetermined.

This may be as good a time as any to remind people just what the government issued food labels really mean.

Recently, California banned the words “sell by” on food package labels. This simple move is intended to cut down on confusion and the food waste it creates when people throw away food early, an amount the FDA estimates at nearly 6 million tons annually, nearly 20% of the nation’s food waste.

’Now, manufacturers selling food in California must use two other labels, but in reality, as NBC-TV noted recently, across the country there are four “by” labels, each with a specific message to the consumer.

‘Best by’ First, the phrase “best if used by,” is not an expiration date. Instead those words tell when a product’s flavor and quality are at their peak. The food can still be safely consumed after this date, but individual differences such as how where and how long it sat on the store’s loading dock or in the buyer’s home may affect actual freshness.

As a general rule most shelf stable foods such as dry beans are safe indefinitely. Canned goods can actually last as “fresh” for years so long as the can has not been damaged.

‘Sell by’ This date is meant for the store manager, telling them how long they can put the food out on a shelf for safe sale. To extend he period, once the food is at home, it should be refrigerated or freeze for longer storage such as an extra week for pasteurized milk and as impressively long as three to five weeks for fresh eggs kept in their original carton in the coldest part of the fridge.

‘Use by’ This one is the manufacturer’s last date before peak quality starts to decline. Much like the “best by” date, it doesn’t indicate food safety, except for one important product: As NBC reporters explained, the date on baby formula indicates food safety. It should not be used after this day.

‘Freeze by’ A “freeze-by” date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. Freezing stops the clock on spoilage and prevents the growth of food poisoning bacteria. The USDA has a handy chart listing cold storage dates at https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts

How to Know When Food Has Spoiled

If you are concerned about spoilage, the best test is the “smell and look test.” Spoiled foods will typically develop an off odor, flavor or texture due to growing bacteria. If a food has developed a bad smell or funky flavor or texture, toss it. And never taste food to determine if it’s still good, the USDA’s department of agriculture’s food safety and inspection service (FSIS) warns.

Food safety experts generally recommend throwing out food at the first signs of spoilage. With mold, even a small fleck might be an indicator that there’s a lot more of it that you can’t see.

An exception is for certain dense foods where mold has difficulty spreading. With hard cheeses, for instance, food safety experts say it’s fine to carve out a one-inch chunk around the mold and eat the rest. If you’re not sure about when it’s safe to eat around mold, the USDA has a reference chart here. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/molds-food-are-they-dangerous

Additionally, the USDA notes that not all spoilage is visible or smellable. A slab of raw chicken, for example, might look fresh but contain salmonella. To limit the chances of getting sick from such germs, regulators recommend four simple steps: Clean, separate cook and chill detailed at https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling