Food Waste Is a Problem?
Listening | English and Chinese scripts are provided below and you can understand the content easier. https://www.youtube.com/@UpgradeEnglish
What’s the meaning if the food is beyond the “Best Before” date?
It may still be acceptable to eat for a while. However, its quality is not the best.
What’s the implication of not having the best quality?
The food may lose its freshness, flavour or nutrients a bit. Nevertheless, it’s still safe to eat if it’s stored properly.
Can we guarantee that the food is safe to eat although it’s beyond the “Best Before” date?
If the food is stored according to the instructions on the packaging, it can still be consumed. If you’re not sure, you may test it by using sensory cues e.g. smell, sight and touch.
What kinds of products that are marked with the “Best Before” date?
Frozen, dried and tinned foods are examples of foods that are marked with the “Best Before” date.
What does it mean if the food is beyond the “Use By” date?
It’s not safe to eat and could be harmful to health. It’s related to food safety.
I did not find any problem on the appearance and smell even the food is beyond the “Use By” date. Is it edible?
No. Bacteria will grow rapidly in food. Please bear in mind that we never eat the food after its “Use By” date.
What kinds of products that are marked with “Use By” date?
Highly perishable products such as meat, dairy and salads are marked with “Use By” date.
Are the “Best Before” and “Use By” date the same?
No. It’s illegal for a business to sell food that is beyond the “Use By” date.
What’s the public misconception of the “Best Before” date?
The food is no longer suitable for consumption after the “Best Before” date. In turn, we can still safely eat the food although its flavour and texture may not be as good as before.
How can we avoid the waste of food?
At home, we should not throw the food away if it has just passed the “Best Before” date. We should consume it as early as possible. If not, we’ll create a lot of waste.
What’s short-dated food?
The food is close to or has just passed the “Best Before” date.
If supermarkets sell short-dated food at a discounted price, is it safe to buy?
Yes. It should be safe for consumption after a reasonable period of time past its “Best Before” date.
Why are the supermarkets able to offer great discount to customers?
Instead of discarding short-dated food, suppliers can sell it to the supermarkets at low cost. The supermarkets can resell it with attractive price to customers.
What are the benefits to the suppliers?
Without destroying the products, the suppliers find a good way to resolve their issue of excessive products. Ultimately, it can reduce waste costs.
Why do we contribute to the deterioration of climate?
The production of food requires carbon dioxide and water. If the edible food is finally unconsumed, the resources used lead to the wastage and the rise of greenhouse gases.
What are the reasons of supporting the supermarkets selling short-dated food?
We can reduce the food waste, save money on in daily expenses and support their contribution of environmental protection.
How do we contribute to sustainable consumption when buying short-dated food?
The supermarkets bring the food back to the market. If we buy and consume the food, it can minimise the impacts to the environment.
Can you provide me example of supermarket that contributes to greater sustainability and climate protection?
Sure. GreenPrice in HK is doing great.
Source of information:
Centre of Food Safety, HKSAR
GreenPrice in Hong Kong
Approved Food in United Kingdom
WITH CHINESE SCRIPT
如果食物超過了「此日期前最佳」，這意味著什麼？
吃一段時間或許還是可以接受的，但它的品質並不是最好的。
沒有最好的品質意味著什麼？
食物可能會稍微失去新鮮度、味道或營養，儘管如此，如果儲存得當，它仍然可以安全食用。
雖然超過「此日期前最佳」，我們能否保證食品可以安全食用？
如果食物按照包裝上的說明儲存，仍然可以食用，如果您不確定，您可以使用感官信號進行測試，例如嗅覺、視覺和觸覺。
哪些產品標有「此日期前最佳」？
冷凍、風乾和罐頭食品是標有「此日期前最佳」的食品例子。
如果食物超過「此日期或之前食用」，這意味著什麼？
食用不安全，可能有害健康，這是與食品安全有關。
我沒有發現任何外觀和氣味問題，即使食物已經過了「此日期或之前食用」，是適宜食用的嗎？
不正確，細菌會在食物中迅速生長，請記住，我們絕不會食用「此日期或之前食用」的日期之後的食物。
哪些產品標有「此日期或之前食用」？
肉類、奶類和沙律等極易腐爛的產品都標有「此日期或之前食用」。
「此日期前最佳」和「此日期或之前食用」是否相同？
不相同，企業銷售超過「此日期或之前食用」的食品是違法的。
大眾對「此日期前最佳」的誤解是什麼？
食品在「此日期前最佳」之後就不再適合食用，相反，我們仍然可以安全地食用這些食物，儘管它的味道和品質可能不如以前好。
我們怎樣才能避免食物浪費呢？
在家裡，如食物剛剛過了「此日期前最佳」，我們不應扔掉，我們應儘早食用它，如果不這樣做，我們就會造成大量浪費。
什麼是短期食品？
食物接近或剛剛過了「此日期前最佳」。
如果超市以折扣價出售短期食品，購買安全嗎？
是的，在過了「此日期前最佳」一段合理的時間後，它應該可以安全食用。
為什麼超市能夠給顧客很大的折扣？
供應商無須丟棄短期食品，而是以低價格出售給超市，故超市可以提供對顧客有吸引力的價格出售。
對供應商有什麼好處？
在不毀壞產品的情況下，供應商找到了解決產品過剩問題的好方法，最終，它們可以減低浪費成本。
為什麼我們會造成氣候惡化？
食物的生產需要二氧化碳和水，如果可食用的食物最終沒有被吃掉，所使用的資源就會造成浪費及溫室氣體的上升。
支持超市銷售短期食品的理由是什麼？
我們可以減少食物浪費，節省日常開支，並支持超市對環境保護的貢獻。
購買短期食品時，我們如何為可持續消費做出貢獻？
超市將食物帶回市場，如果我們購買及吃掉它，就可以減少對環境的影響。
您能為我提供一些有助於提高可持續性和氣候保護的超市例子嗎？
當然可以，香港的 GreenPrice 做得非常出色。
資料來源：
香港政府食物安全中心
GreenPrice (香港)
Approved Food (英國)