What should be done with food that is past its expiration date?

Food that is past its expiration date should be discarded to ensure safety and prevent health risks. Expiration dates are established to indicate the point at which food may no longer be safe to consume or when its quality may deteriorate significantly. Consuming food beyond this date can lead to foodborne illnesses, which can arise from bacteria, mold, or spoiled ingredients. Even if the food appears to look and smell fine, harmful pathogens can still be present without any visible signs.

In addition, the practice of storing expired food for future use can lead to a lack of accountability regarding food safety and could result in unintentional consumption of spoiled products. Sharing expired food with others also poses the same risks to their health. Therefore, the best practice for maintaining food safety is to safely discard any food that has passed its expiration date.