Can you buy near-expiry food at a 10% discount? Is it safe?

Hello, this is Science Popularization China.

When we go to the supermarket, we often see counters selling expired foods, and the prices are cheaper than usual, such as 9.9 yuan for three bottles of yogurt, 50 cents for cakes and pies, etc. At this time, many people can't help but start buying because of the low prices. Let's talk about whether these expired foods have safety hazards and whether they can be bought?

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Near-expiry food usually refers to pre-packaged food that is about to reach its expiration date . Within the expiration date, pre-packaged food can be sold and consumed. Near-expiry food is just approaching the expiration date, but has not exceeded the expiration date, so of course there is no need to worry about safety issues.

Moreover, according to the provisions of the Anti-Food Waste Law, supermarkets, shopping malls and other food operators should strengthen daily inspections of the foods they sell, classify and manage foods that are nearing their expiration date, and specially label them or display them in a centralized display for sale .

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In other words, merchants cannot sell near-expiry food to consumers without their knowledge , and can only sell it after informing consumers.

Therefore, in order to reduce losses, many businesses often resort to discounts and promotions, hoping to sell near-expiry foods as soon as possible to reduce economic losses. Some supermarkets will set up counters for near-expiry foods in accordance with regulations, and now you can even see stores that specialize in selling near-expiry foods.

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So what should you pay attention to when buying food that is about to expire?

First of all, we should choose regular supermarkets or stores , not unlicensed stores or stalls. When buying, we should check the food packaging to ensure that there is no damage, bulging, or leakage. We should also pay attention to key information such as the production date and shelf life on the food label to ensure that the product is within the validity period. We should also pay attention to storage conditions. Near-expiry foods must be stored under the conditions required by the label. If you find that near-expiry foods that need to be refrigerated or frozen are kept at room temperature, don't buy them.

In addition, we must not be misled by discounts. We must consume rationally and not buy expiring food in large quantities at low prices to avoid waste due to expired or spoiled food.

The most important thing is to eat the food within the expiration date as soon as possible after buying it . Be careful of expiration and spoilage. If you find that the food has a strange smell or tastes abnormal, don't eat it.

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Okay, this is Science Popularization China, see you next time.

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center