2009 press releases

20th Mar: Best before dates should be scrapped, says MP

Local MP Norman Baker has written to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), asking them to consider getting rid of the 'best before' date on food labels in an effort to increase food safety as well as reduce waste.

At present, foods are labelled with either a 'use by' or 'best before date' or both. The former is used when there is a potential hazard to health if food is consumed after the date, whereas the latter is used when the quality of food may deteriorate but not to a degree to which the health of the consumer would be threatened.

An exception to this rule is eggs, which have a 'best before' date which is used to indicate the time at which they will pose a hazard to health if consumed.

It is estimated that some households throw away up to one third of their food, leading to approximately 6.7 million tonnes of food being thrown away every year in the UK. A large portion of this amount has been put down to people throwing food away because it has past its 'best before@ date rather than its 'use by' date.

Speaking on the issue, Norman said: "I have written to the Food Standards Agency requesting that they consider scrapping the ambiguous system of 'best before' dates.

"Millions of tonnes of food is thrown out every year by households, simply because it is past its 'best before' date and householders simply do not realise that it is still edible.

"In addition to this, the decision to use a 'best before' rather than a 'use by' date for eggs is quite simply ridiculous, given the risks of salmonella poisoning associated with eating eggs past their date.

"I am calling for clear, unambiguous advice on food packaging, which will reflect the date by which food can be consumed by, rather than the date by which it might not taste its best."

|Home

|Issues

|Press

|Norman and his work

|Useful Links

|Contact Norman

|Site map and Search

|Norman's flickr page

|Norman's Facebook page

|National LibDem site