Food expiration dates don't mean what you think Flashcards
toss
/tɒs/
verb
to throw something carelessly
How much of the food in your fridge will you toss before it reaches the table?
guilty
/ˈɡɪl.ti/
adjective
responsible for breaking a law
The jury has to decide whether a person is guilty or innocent of a crime
offender
/əˈfen.dər/
noun
a person who is guilty of a crime
The United States is one of the worst offenders
interpret
/ɪnˈtɜː.prɪt/
verb
to decide what the intended meaning of something is
Consumers aren’t sure how to interpret the dates they’re labeled with
groceries
noun
the food that you buy in a grocer’s shop or supermarke
Most of those groceries are still perfectly safe to eat
assess
/əˈses/
verb
to judge or decide the amount, value, quality, or importance of something
Most people knew how to assess freshness using sight, smell, and touch
stock
/stɒk/
verb
If a shop or factory stocks something, it keeps a supply of it
Most supermarkets stock a wide range of wines
gauge
/ɡeɪdʒ/
verb
to calculate an amount, especially by using a measuring device
Poduct ages became harder to gauge
adopt
/əˈdɒpt/
verb
to accept or start to use something new
Many supermarkets adopted a system still in place today called open dating
optimum
/ˈɒp.tɪ.məm/
adjective
best
Food manufacturers or retailers labeled products with dates indicating optimum freshness
metric
/ˈmet.rɪk/
noun
a system for measuring something
This vague metric had nothing to do with expiration dates or food safety
vague
/veɪɡ/
noun
not clearly expressed, known, described, or decided
This vague metric had nothing to do with expiration dates or food safety
backing
/ˈbæk.ɪŋ/
noun
support or help
In fact, it’s rarely decided with any scientific backing, and there are usually no rules around what dates to use
stale
/steɪl/
adjective
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
bulge
/bʌldʒ/
verb
phình lên
They don’t show signs of bulging or rusting
rust
/rʌst/
verb
rỉ sét
They don’t show signs of bulging or rusting
bacteria
/bækˈtɪə.ri.ə/
noun
vi khuẩn
Low freezer temperatures keep bacteria that cause food poisoning in check
preserve
/prɪˈzɜːv/
verb
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
proper
/ˈprɒp.ər/
adjective
real, satisfactory, suitable, or correct
Low freezer temperatures preserve properly stored frozen dinners indefinitely
indefinitely
/ɪnˈdef.ɪ.nət.li/
adjective
for a period of time with no fixed end
Low freezer temperatures preserve properly stored frozen dinners indefinitely
refrigerated
/rɪˈfrɪdʒ.ər.eɪ.tɪd/
adjective
kept cold in a fridge
Refrigerated eggs are good for up to five weeks
pathogenic
/ˌpæθ.əˈdʒen.ɪk/
adjective
able to cause disease
Beyond their printed dates, ready-to-eat salads, deli meats, and unpasteurized cheeses are more likely to carry pathogenic bacteria
regulate
/ˈreɡ.jə.leɪt/
verb
to control something, especially by making it work in a particular way
The dates on infant formula are regulated to indicate safety
edible
/ˈed.ə.bəl/
adjective
suitable or safe for eating
They use date labels to decide if food is still edible
incentivize
/ɪnˈsen.tɪ.vaɪz/
verb
to make someone want to do something
Many experts also advocate for policies incentivizing grocers andrestaurants to donate unsold food
consumption
/kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/
noun
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
tongue
/tʌŋ/
noun
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
