How long after purchasing a product can it still be edible?

Today I show you how long you can preserve food, or how long you can consume certain particularly perishable foods so that their consumption is much more efficient and we waste less.

According to chef Tobias Funke, recipient of 2 Michelin stars, including the green one , for his commitment to food durability,

• Eggs: If cooked, up to two weeks after the expiration date.
• Frozen products: several months after the expiration date.
• Canned and brined foods: several years after the expiration date.

• Delicatessen such as yellow cheeses: up to two weeks after the expiration date.

• Ground meat, fish and seafood: consume before and respect the expiration date.

• Yogurt and pasteurized milk: 2-5 days after the expiration date

• Prepared or ready-to-eat meals: 24 to 36 hours

Quick and useful eco-friendly tips:

• Consume organic products from the region

Fruits and vegetables that do not travel far between the field and the store use less energy (fuel, transport time, work). Their flavor and nutritional value are much higher than those of foods from other parts of the world. Buy fruits and vegetables that are in harvest because they have all the power of their flavor, nutritional value and are sure to be at a good price.

• Buy your bread at the neighborhood bakery

Products bought in large supermarkets rarely use products from the region and often contain additives. You can buy various breads at the local bakery that you can perfectly freeze and then defrost when you need them.

• Cleverly recycle your food waste

At the end of a meal, there are often leftovers or certain fruits that go off faster than you thought. Sometimes, two days' worth of leftovers can be made into a new and tasty meal with a little ingenuity, or fruits like strawberries, bananas and others can be made into easy jams or delicious smoothies.

• Buy STRATEGICALLY

Go shopping after eating, this way you will avoid buying because you are so hungry that you want to eat everything once you are at the market.

Before you go to the grocery store, check your refrigerator and pantry to make sure you get what you've run out of or to get ingredients you're missing when preparing certain meals.

• Plan your meals for the week ahead of time,

At least get an idea, taking into account the ingredients you have at home, plus the foods you need to balance in your body. For example, you know you should eat salads almost every day, plan to buy enough tomatoes, onions, avocados, two types of lettuce, cucumber and test them to know which days more or less they should be consumed so that you can plan your preparation.

• Store correctly

Preserving fruits and vegetables is a science. If these types of foods are left out for too long, their appearance, flavour and consistency are lost. Cabbage, mushrooms, onions, garlic and bell peppers are vegetables that can wait a long time in the fridge, as are apples and red fruits. Tomatoes, lemons and courgettes are best kept in plain sight on the counter.

• What to throw away and what not to

Food spoils when microorganisms such as bacteria and mold appear. Because mushrooms can produce harmful substances such as endotoxins in the body, they should be discarded. There are exceptions, however, and this is the case of jams or other preserves that have been preserved in sugar, citric acid, or other acid, meaning that the affected part can be removed and the rest consumed normally.

• For owners or managers of grocery stores or small markets

If you own a grocery store, you can create a WhatsApp group, for example, with customers who buy fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods from you to let them know when they are available and perhaps sell them at a slight discount before they go bad.

How to preserve

Finally, if you want to preserve food to prevent rapid spoilage, the known and effective methods are through freezing, in jars, in boxes, dehydrated or fermented.

Freeze

When vegetables are freshly harvested, they can be soaked (2 minutes in boiling water) then rinsed with ice water or placed in the freezer to keep them crisp and colorful. This action interrupts the natural process of enzymatic degradation.

Fermentation

Fermentation preserves and modifies the flavor of a food. It is the result of the action of bacteria, yeasts and fungi. Fermented foods that are part of our diet include yogurt, yeast bread, sauerkraut, kefir and kimchi.

It is a very interesting practice and also very healthy for the formation of probiotics, bacteria and good fungi that protect our colon. A well-preserved fermented food (well sealed, without light) can last up to 1-2 months.

Dehydration

Dehydration eliminates the formation of bacteria and fungi in our food. This method preserves the minerals in the food and a large part of its vitamins, while maintaining the concentrated flavor and nutrition of the food. For example, 100 grams of dehydrated fruit contain more potassium, iron, and magnesium than 100 grams of fresh fruit. But it must be understood that it also concentrates natural sugar, so they should be consumed in moderation. A dehydrated fruit or vegetable, well stored in an airtight container and away from light, can last up to 6 months.

Canned

To prepare a preserve, you only need to cook the food, whether it be fruit or vegetables, and then store it in jars that are sealed hermetically with the help of a rubber ring. The jars are then heated in a bain-marie (at approximately 60ºC). If the temperature exceeds 100ºC, the healthy microorganisms are destroyed. In this sense, the shelf life is quite long, although its nutritional value is lost.

Alcohol and vinegar are used as preservatives because they completely penetrate the food to replace its natural liquid content. The alcohol kills microorganisms on the food, while the acetic acid in the vinegar prevents their growth. When raw or cooked foods are placed in the canning jar, they are completely covered in white wine vinegar or rum and sealed airtight.

If they are kept in a cool place away from light, they can last for several months. However, if they change color or flavor, or if bubbles form or the lid bursts, they should be thrown away.