Eggs safe to consume even after 'best before' dates -- FSA
POSTED December 18, 2011 - 20:16 | POSTED BY Neharika Sabharwal
Last edited by Jaspreet Virk on December 18, 2011 - 20:59
It’s a shocking figure when weighed against a backdrop of global poverty.
With the aim to find the solution to this profligacy, England’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a statement that store-bought eggs are safe for consumption after their “best before” date.
This is a reversal of its previous advice that eggs have a definite shelf-life and carry a potential risk of salmonella poisoning if not consumed immediately.
Under the new proposal, the agency recommends that eggs are perfectly edible within a day or two after their expiry date provided they are cooked thoroughly.
The official statement on its website reads, “If salmonella is present in eggs, it could multiply to high levels and cause food poisoning. But salmonella contamination levels in UK-produced eggs are low, and salmonella is killed by thorough cooking.”
It went on to add, "This is why the advice is now that eggs can be eaten after their best before date, as long as they are cooked thoroughly until both yolk and white are solid, or if they are used in dishes where they will be fully cooked, such as a cake."
New guideline
According to the agency, by law food must show a 'best before' date even though many items are still safe to eat after that date.
This is very different from the 'use by' date that shows when food is no longer safe and should be thrown away.
