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
