Quote Originally Posted by halfeye View Post
The shops around here have abandonned sell by dates for some fruit, now fruit that you used to buy with a long date on it so it kept for about ten days goes off before you start it sometimes. It really isn't a matter of sell by dates being abused by consumers, it iis about rotten produce being sold as fresh by greedy supermarkets.
Who said anything about abusing anything? I'm saying it's a proven fact people will throw stuff way as soon as expiry date come up because well it clearly says this date right? Can't eat it after that. Store also throw away tons of food, as in literally, because we have to stick to those dates sell by dates. But as I said, they are recommendations, not hard facts. Use your nose and taste-buds. Don't solely rely on an arbitrary number. There's no telling exactly how quickly something spoils, so they tend to err on the side of caution. Not to mention it loses some of it's appeal long before it becomes actually dangerous, and frankly the seller is more concerned by that than your safety.

Also I've *never* heard of expiry dates for fruits. That's why you pick and muse and examine them in the shop. Never know how long it's been sitting there. Fruits have wildly varied spoil times. Stick things next to apples and the apple release gas that accelerates the ripening process (as part of their ripening process).

I once picked up a melon at the shop which some previous customer had already weighed. But since I didn't know what day it was just on a lark I reweighed it. Saved me 2 cents on the weight it's lost from day before.