use by dates are set by manufacturers based on microbiological testing results. The Food Standards Code has maximum bacterial levels for different foods and the use by date set for foods is based on ensuring that the food is less than these levels.
A question I was asked today in an interview for a possible A Current Affair story was – is it Ok to use foods after the use by date has past?
The answer is yes, as long as the material has been properly tested and shows that the bacterial levels are less then that allowed in the code. The whole process must be done according to a standard method and be well documented.
Keep an eye out for the interview in the next week or so.
