New test results – best before date is deceptive: that’s how long food is edible

Even a full month after the expiration date, fresh eggs, striezel, mixed bread, smoked buns and cream cheese are safe and edible. Only the colored hard-boiled eggs failed the food testing institute’s test – that was the result of the first phase of Greenpeace’s long-term test.

“Although the so-called MHD must be specified by law, it is not a magical expiration date. Anyone who looks, smells and tastes wastes considerably less food and is also good for the wallet,” activist Sebastian Theissing-Matei reminds consumers.

Either way, the numbers are shocking. Because every year in private households, 1.6 billion (!) Euro worth of food is simply thrown in the garbage. Bread and pastries often end up in the household waste. Much of this valuable food, which does not end up in the fridge or on our plate, is even thrown away with the residual waste in its original packaging. There are several reasons for this. Consider, for example, the fact that far too much is bought – without thinking about it – or that connoisseurs completely misunderstand the best before date.

The result of the sensory and scientifically thorough microbiological laboratory tests: Striezel, bread, smoked buns and fresh eggs could have been eaten immediately without hesitation. Minor changes in taste and consistency were only found in the cream cheese.

Tropical fruit from Brazil heavily contaminated with pesticides
Alarming Greenpeace test result in light of the looming Mercosur Pact: Checks of imported fruit from Brazil across Europe found to be excessively contaminated with pesticides. Theissing-Matei: “A taste of the unhappy pact.”