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April 7 is World Health Day and this year’s theme is Food Safety. One of the things that we need to keep in mind to maintain food safety is to check its expiration date. Though there are certain foods that can be consumed a few days after their expiry date, here are foods that should not be eaten if they go bad as they can cause illnesses like an upset stomach and at times even food poisoning.
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Dairy products: All dairy products such as milk, cheese, curd, etc. have bacteria in them and if they are consumed beyond their expiry date, there is a very high chance of food poisoning. But the good thing with dairy products is that you can easily make out if they’ve gone bad. The taste changes and in case of cheese, you can see the growth of moulds on it.
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Leafy greens: Spinach, lettuce, fenugreek, kale are certainly very healthy but eating them once they’ve gone bad is an open invitation to a host of bacteria into your tummy. These vegetables should not be stored for more than 2-3 days. If they look wilted and droopy, place them in warm water for 10 minutes but if they still look the same, do not use them.
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Meat: Both red and white meat can cause a serious case of food poisoning if you eat them beyond their expiration date. Meat once gone bad or undercooked can result in the formation of bacteria within it which if consumed can cause stomach ailments. As a practice, do not store different meats next to each other in the refrigerator as that too can cause contamination.
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Eggs: Eggs should be stored in the refrigerator once you buy them. Since there isn’t any date on them if you buy loose eggs, you should ideally consume them within three weeks. To check if an egg has gone bad, place it in a bowl of cold water. If it floats, do not eat it.
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Berries: Berries have a wonderful sweet taste and are full of essential nutrients but they too attract bacteria and can cause a mild form of food poisoning once they rot. If you feel their outer skin is too mushy and dull or see the appearance of mould build-up on them, do not consume them.
