Food expiration dates don't mean what you think

Question 1

toss

/tɒs/

verb

Answer 1

to throw something carelessly

How much of the food in your fridge will you toss before it reaches the table?

Question 2

guilty

/ˈɡɪl.ti/

adjective

Answer 2

responsible for breaking a law

The jury has to decide whether a person is guilty or innocent of a crime

Question 3

offender

/əˈfen.dər/

noun

Answer 3

a person who is guilty of a crime

The United States is one of the worst offenders

Question 4

interpret

/ɪnˈtɜː.prɪt/

verb

Answer 4

to decide what the intended meaning of something is

Consumers aren’t sure how to interpret the dates they’re labeled with

Question 5

groceries

noun

Answer 5

the food that you buy in a grocer’s shop or supermarke

Most of those groceries are still perfectly safe to eat

Question 6

assess

/əˈses/

verb

Answer 6

to judge or decide the amount, value, quality, or importance of something

Most people knew how to assess freshness using sight, smell, and touch

Question 7

stock

/stɒk/

verb

Answer 7

If a shop or factory stocks something, it keeps a supply of it

Most supermarkets stock a wide range of wines

Question 8

gauge

/ɡeɪdʒ/

verb

Answer 8

to calculate an amount, especially by using a measuring device

Poduct ages became harder to gauge

Question 9

adopt

/əˈdɒpt/

verb

Answer 9

to accept or start to use something new

Many supermarkets adopted a system still in place today called open dating

Question 10

optimum

/ˈɒp.tɪ.məm/

adjective

Answer 10

best

Food manufacturers or retailers labeled products with dates indicating optimum freshness

Question 11

metric

/ˈmet.rɪk/

noun

Answer 11

a system for measuring something

This vague metric had nothing to do with expiration dates or food safety

Question 12

vague

/veɪɡ/

noun

Answer 12

not clearly expressed, known, described, or decided

This vague metric had nothing to do with expiration dates or food safety

Question 13

backing

/ˈbæk.ɪŋ/

noun

Answer 13

support or help

In fact, it’s rarely decided with any scientific backing, and there are usually no rules around what dates to use

Question 14

stale

/steɪl/

adjective

Answer 14

no longer new or fresh, usually as a result of being kept for too long

Old cookies, pasta, and other shelf-stable groceries might taste stale, but they aren’t a health risk

Question 15

bulge

/bʌldʒ/

verb

Answer 15

phình lên

They don’t show signs of bulging or rusting

Question 16

rust

/rʌst/

verb

Answer 16

rỉ sét

They don’t show signs of bulging or rusting

Question 17

bacteria

/bækˈtɪə.ri.ə/

noun

Answer 17

vi khuẩn

Low freezer temperatures keep bacteria that cause food poisoning in check

Question 18

preserve

/prɪˈzɜːv/

verb

Answer 18

to keep something as it is, especially in order to prevent it from decaying or being damaged or destroyed

Low freezer temperatures preserve properly stored frozen dinners indefinitely

Question 19

proper

/ˈprɒp.ər/

adjective

Answer 19

real, satisfactory, suitable, or correct

Low freezer temperatures preserve properly stored frozen dinners indefinitely

Question 20

indefinitely

/ɪnˈdef.ɪ.nət.li/

adjective

Answer 20

for a period of time with no fixed end

Low freezer temperatures preserve properly stored frozen dinners indefinitely

Question 21

refrigerated

/rɪˈfrɪdʒ.ər.eɪ.tɪd/

adjective

Answer 21

kept cold in a fridge

Refrigerated eggs are good for up to five weeks

Question 22

pathogenic

/ˌpæθ.əˈdʒen.ɪk/

adjective

Answer 22

able to cause disease

Beyond their printed dates, ready-to-eat salads, deli meats, and unpasteurized cheeses are more likely to carry pathogenic bacteria

Question 23

regulate

/ˈreɡ.jə.leɪt/

verb

Answer 23

to control something, especially by making it work in a particular way

The dates on infant formula are regulated to indicate safety

Question 23

edible

/ˈed.ə.bəl/

adjective

Answer 23

suitable or safe for eating

They use date labels to decide if food is still edible

Question 24

incentivize

/ɪnˈsen.tɪ.vaɪz/

verb

Answer 24

to make someone want to do something

Many experts also advocate for policies incentivizing grocers andrestaurants to donate unsold food

Question 25

consumption

/kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/

noun

Answer 25

the amount used or eaten

Don’t forget that your eyes, nose, and tongue are usually all you need to decide if food is fit for consumption or the compost bin

Question 26

tongue

/tʌŋ/

noun

Answer 26

lưỡi

Don’t forget that your eyes, nose, and tongue are usually all you need to decide if food is fit for consumption or the compost bin