What should be done if food is found to be past its expiration date?

When food is found to be past its expiration date, it is important to discard it immediately for several reasons. The expiration date is established to ensure food safety and quality, and consuming food past this date can pose significant health risks. Bacteria and other pathogens can proliferate over time, making the food unsafe to eat, even if it appears or smells fine.

Discarding expired food helps prevent foodborne illnesses, which can arise from consuming spoiled or contaminated items. Proper food safety practices emphasize the importance of adhering to expiration dates, as these are based on scientific assessments of food stability and safety.

Other practices such as reheating expired food, freezing it for later use, or using it for cooking based on its smell can lead to dangerous outcomes. Reheating may not eliminate harmful pathogens that have developed, freezing does not stop spoilage but just alters its state, and reliance on smell is not a reliable indicator of safety. Therefore, the safest course of action when food is past its expiration date is to dispose of it to ensure the health and safety of consumers.