Arch Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 We had been given a best before date on my wifes new Salmon fillets of the first week of March. Today, after looking in the fridge, I have just seen it now has a use by date of February 20th. I am steaming (it) - because from my recollection (it tastes better) and the use by dates are usually the best one to go for, rather than the best before date? Please can someone tell me I am wrong, otherwise she is going to blow a candle out / balloon up / up Tesco*? *Delete if you CBA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve2 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 i always thought best before means it will taste better if eaten before that date and use by date means just that, also it depends what temperature your fridge is at as the colder it is the longer food will keep, I still use food that is a few days out of date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Yup, generally "use by" means it could do you some harm if you eat it out of date, whilst "best before" means you can eat it after the date but it probably won't damage you until its grown legs and started walking around on its own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Sorry, just seen its fish you're talking about - give it a sniff, if its smells ok eat it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 DO NOT EAT IT Jonathan Maitland did a week of testing on Use By and Best Before dates - and Salmon Fillets from M&S were one of few things that he advised strongly not to eat after the Use By date. That is backed up by mountains of evidence online. Salmon after the Use By date will taste fine (up to about 3 days) - but you'll either very ill within 24 hours, be on the loo much sooner for a long time or, and this was the programmes warning - be in hospital. Fish after the Use By date is a very big no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagus Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 I'm always wary of fish. When I worked in restaurants we generally gave it 3 days after coming from the fishmonger (or in shitty places) after defrost, and then chucked it regardless of whether it smelled ok or not. Smoked fish obv we had a bit more leeway with, but fresh fish, shellfish and rice are three things that I have always been taught to not **** about with. It's a lot easier with whole fish, as you can see from looking at them what state they are in. Pre-filleted is more a case of smell and common sense. MrMe - is this the article you're talking about? The 'best before' challenge ... One man boldly goes beyond the use-by dates on his food | Mail Online I can't see any advice there from him not to eat the salmon. I would say you will probably be fine, but I wouldn't make a habit of eating fish after the use-by date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 That's not what I was referring to although that does seem to be a direct reference to the TV programme. He does these things on TV and that's where I saw it. He's obviously had some kind of deal with the Mail too, but he very definitely said not to eat fish at after the Use By date at the end of the show. I know because Salmon is a favourite of mine and it's the sort of thing we've all thought of when looking at those dates on the packets. Personally I wouldn't say you would be fine. Fish can be dodgy within Use By date, never mind after it - is it worth the risk of a few quid? Not in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagus Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 That's not what I was referring to although that does seem to be a direct reference to the TV programme. He does these things on TV and that's where I saw it. He's obviously had some kind of deal with the Mail too, but he very definitely said not to eat fish at after the Use By date at the end of the show. I know because Salmon is a favourite of mine and it's the sort of thing we've all thought of when looking at those dates on the packets.Personally I wouldn't say you would be fine. Fish can be dodgy within Use By date, never mind after it - is it worth the risk of a few quid? Not in my book. Ah right. I thought it would've been one of his ITV gigs but was just making sure as the article correlates strongly. It's a hit and miss thing. Odds are you may well be fine. But I will never keep fish in the fridge for more than 3 days, or exceed the use-by date. as you say, it's not worth saving the few ££ and convenience. There are plenty of stores open until 11 if not 24h these days, so if there's that much of a craving, jump in the car and go grab some fresh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve2 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 i always thought best before means it will taste better if eaten before that date and use by date means just that, also it depends what temperature your fridge is at as the colder it is the longer food will keep, I still use food that is a few days out of date Apart from Fish, cheers MrMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Give some to the cat wait 4 hours and if it's not shitting on your lap- poach in wine wine, pepper, lemon zest and salt for about 5 minutes (turn after 3). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Can you poach cat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Not without a license and a shotgun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulboy Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Quick side note. you should also keep things like fish and meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, as its the coldest part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Fish and dairy after the use by/sell by, we never use. Or even if before but it looks 'wrong' we chuck it. Rice - if cooked, it stays in the fridge for 2 days. If not used - chucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mort Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Remember this. there are only two things that smell like fish. And one of them is fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagus Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Quick side note.you should also keep things like fish and meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, as its the coldest part. And more importantly, to stop raw meat dripping down onto food below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpongpo Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I eat anything regardless of the date. If it smells ok, I eat it. Perhaps some people have a lower tolerance of dated food? I know my father-in-law is ill if he eats Christmas turkey on Boxing day but I'm still tucking into it in February with no problems. Yum yum in my tum tum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Having just done a food safety course as part of work. I can tell you that a Use By is the last day you should eat the food before it has any adverse effects to you, even if cooked correctly. Best before is a recommendation set by the manufacturer where the quality of the product will start to degrade, i.e. taste & texture but will probably will be safe to consume, hence why it is not against the law for a shop to sell these products to customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I had always assumed a proportionate degree of 'grace' on retail produce 'use by' dates, to protect the stupid from themselves and the retailer from any kind of legal action. When I say proportionate, I mean if it's fresh and the 'use by' date is in a couple of days or so I assumed you can probably stretch that by a day with no ill effects. If it's tinned and the date is 2013 sometime, chances are you'll be fine in 2014... I took the fish lottery with some breaded plaice from Waitrose a few weeks ago - got it home and realised it shouldn't have been on the shelf - use by was the day before! Couldn't be bothered taking it back, had a good smell, gave it a proper nuking in the oven and survived without after effects. Must admit I'm usually pretty observant of dates though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scillyisles Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Yes there is a big allowance of grace on use by dates particularly from stores like M+S. I (or my stomach) is very sensitive to food that is slightly off and I would have no problem eating food form M+S that was say a day or so beyond the Use by date provided that I had kept the food stored properly in the fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 It's not an exact science. If it was, why would all bags of crisps go out of date on a Saturday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I'm not falling for that. I didn't check that the date on my bag of Ready Salted crisps was a Saturday. No, not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Ready salted should be a Wednesday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I'm not falling for that. I didn't check that the date on my bag of Ready Salted crisps was a Saturday. No, not me. Haha, Milo for the win! :D I learned that from my days of doing stock rotation in a Presto Supermarket when I was 15 (before I became an unemployed astronaut). I have used it as a chat up line in my day Spot someone eating crisps in bar and ask her when the sell by date is. When she tells you, spend 5 seconds doing pretendy mental maths before declaring "that's a Saturday". When they realised I was right, suitably impressed they usually* blushed before whisking me off to bed. I should point out: 1) It works best in bars populated by greedy crisp monster women. 2) I haven't used that particular line for quite a while, surprisingly. * errrrm, well maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 So anyway, unless crisp UK production is only 1 day/week, the fact they all go out of date on a Saturday means there is some leeway in best before dates. And who else checked the dates on a bag of crisps to see if I was bullshitting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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