When you open your fridge or pantry, how often do you glance at the dates on what you eat? The yogurt container indicates that it still has a couple of days to go, but the date on the half-used barbecue sauce suggests that it was best consumed last Sunday.
Do you still eat it?
Not all labels mean the same thing, and understanding the difference between “Best Before” and “Use By” could be the line between enjoying a safe meal and suffering from food poisoning.
Tobias Alando, chief executive of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), says that expiry labels are the result of months of research to protect consumers.
“Expiry dates are not figures on a package,” says Mr Alando. “They are a result of in-depth studies that put products through a variety of conditions.”
Kenyan producers apply shelf-life and stability testing on the products to come up with the expiry date.
Mr Alando outlines the process. Products are put in normal and extreme conditions, like heat, humidity, and light, to see how they change. “Scientists check if bacteria or mold grow, whether taste, smell, or texture changes, and whether nutrients retain effectiveness,” he says.
Even the packaging is subjected to testing, since containers can have an effect on freshness.
The testing includes microbiological tests to ensure no spoiled germs form before the product reaches its expiration date. Products are also tested for sensory changes like taste or smell, and chemical tests to measure amounts of nutrients and active ingredients over time.
“Packaging is part of the study. A bottle, tin, or plastic container can determine how long a product stays safe.”
This testing is carried out at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and, in the case of medicines, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB).
But it is costly and time-consuming, especially to SMEs. “Most SMEs lack in-house labs,” Mr Alando says. “They have to partner with external labs, which costs them more and delays results. Kenya also lacks enough accredited labs, making it harder for industries like food and cosmetics.”
Mr Alando says “Best Before” indicates the food can still be safe, but could go off. “Use By” indicates the food should never be consumed after that date.
Other information is the net weight, physical address, and name of the manufacturer, packer, or importer, and any known allergens such as gluten, milk, eggs, or soy.
“The labels must be clear, readable, and in English or Kiswahili,” says the bureau. “They must not be false, misleading, deceptive, or confusing.”
Kebs has two enforcement departments: the Quality Assurance and Inspection Directorate, which checks expiry stamps on production at factories for local products and at entry points for imports. The Market Surveillance Directorate checks products already in shops and supermarkets.
“If the standards are not met, the bureau can warn, order the products to be recalled, fine, cancel permits, or prosecute under the Standards Act, Cap 496.”
Musembi Muthusi, a registered clinical nutritionist at Health Cart, says expiry dates are a manufacturer’s guarantee of safety.
According to Mr Muthusi, consumers often get “Best Before” and “Use By” dates mixed up. He describes “Best Before: as being a question of quality, rather than safety.
“Food may still be eaten after this date, but perhaps not taste as wonderful or work as well,” he adds. “Use By” or “Sell By”, on the other hand, is a question of safety.
“Beyond this date, the food can become harmful, cause allergies, or even cause food poisoning,” he says.
He uses a simple example with honey. “Honey never expires,” he says. “While producers place a date, honey gets better with age. But packaged foods such as milk, meat, infant food, or cereals go bad, and you should never use them beyond expiry.”
The risks of eating expired food are serious. “Expired foods may not perform as required, and in some cases, they can cause stomach upset, food poisoning, or allergic reactions,” he says.
Storage, he points out, does not change the expiry date. “Regardless of whether you keep food in the cupboard or fridge, the expiry date remains the same,” he says. “But inappropriate storage can make food unsafe before that. For example, probiotics can be stored for a year in cool storage, but become spoiled in heat very quickly.”
Others argue that expiry labels lead to unnecessary food waste. Mr Muthusi disagrees. “It is not wastage. Health is not something to gamble with.”
