Mould and use by dates

Judgeneo · 16 May 2011 at 19:38

We had a bbq last night at out house, and I offered people to use my batches (bread rolls for the non-Coventarians). Problem is that they were slightly past the use by date as I bought them a while ago and then forgot to use them.
There was a spot or two on 2-3 of the dozen batches I provided, now for me this wasn't a problem as I knew there it could do no harm, though the rest of the people at the event decided it would make you ill and gave them a wide berth, going without any sort of bread at all (Everyone had been told to bring what you want to eat, and I was the only one who thought people might want some sort of bread)

So I ask you, would you eat some very slightly out of date bread in this situation? and more so, what is your general opinion on things such as use by dates? Do you:

1) If its past the date, its in the bin
2) Take each food item on a case by case basis, if it looks fine, its probably fine, even if the label says otherwise
3) Have a digestive system formed mainly from granite, and eat anything and everything
4) Will risk a going slightly past the date on some foods, but strict for things like dairy products

PixelChef · 16 May 2011 at 19:45

2. If bread / rolls have a few spots of mould on them I just remove them, but anymore than that I would throw it away.

e : but that's if I'm eating it myself, if it was for someone else probably wouldn't give them it.

J1234 · 16 May 2011 at 19:51

Judgeneo said:
2) Take each food item on a case by case basis, if it looks fine, its probably fine, even if the label says otherwise

This. I've often had things open way past their consumption date and they've been absolutely fine, mainly dairy products.

Doctor McNinja · 16 May 2011 at 19:52

For the most part use by dates are to protect to manufacturer. There are certain things where I'll stick to the use by date put they are few and far between (mainly fresh fish). When it comes to dairy, if it smells, looks and taste all right then it is all right in my book. If cheese grows mouldy, I'll cut an inch away (the toxins from the mould can penetrate about an inch deep).

On a side note. I remember seeing this guy on the TV who had severe allergies when he was a young be, he also had really big problems with his digestive tract. For some reason (which I can't recall) he started eating rotten food. He said he ate meat that he left in a jar for two years to rot. Apparently it cured his allergies and the problems with his digestion. It does seem that the food wasn't the only think with a hint of the smell of bull**** about it but it seemed legit at the time.

Vampyre · 16 May 2011 at 19:53

I use my eyes and my nose to tell if its still OK to eat, I don't bother with the dates at all

Haircut · 16 May 2011 at 19:59

Vampyre said:
I use my eyes and my nose to tell if its still OK to eat, I don't bother with the dates at all

Same.
Having said that if bread was mouldy I'd probably think twice about eating it, firstly because mould can penetrate within porous things like bread fairly easily and secondly because it would most likely be completely stale by that point anyway!

joey1211 · 16 May 2011 at 20:00

Pinch the mold away and toast bread. Otherwise its a bit dry for my taste. Though I guess at a barbecue with plenty of sauce, mustard and beer it cant do much harm.

Muban · 16 May 2011 at 20:08

For certain foods I definitely wouldn't go past the date (raw chicken), other foods I will. If it's safe to eat over the date and looks fine I'd eat it. Though I prefer my food fresh as possible so rarely get into that situation.

As for the bread, if it was moudly I wouldn't eat it. No idea if it's bad to eat it or not but it would be far from fresh if it had started to go moudly. Bread that isn't fresh mings

I'd rather go without.

nydryl · 16 May 2011 at 20:54

I normally ignore the use-by date and judge on look and smell.

Cybermyk · 16 May 2011 at 21:23

If something is mouldy, other than cheese, I'll bin it. Anything else I'll rely on my common sense and senses. I hate waste but I have limits.

snowdog · 16 May 2011 at 21:27

Judgeneo said:
1) If its past the date, its in the bin
2) Take each food item on a case by case basis, if it looks fine, its probably fine, even if the label says otherwise
3) Have a digestive system formed mainly from granite, and eat anything and everything
4) Will risk a going slightly past the date on some foods, but strict for things like dairy products

2) and 4) combo.

Mould on bread or dairy products is a big nono for me, I like my bread fresh and will not go near mould ( how long would it need to be there to get mould on? I keep bread etc in the freezer), but I regularly eat things a day or 2 after the expiration date...

ColdAsIce · 16 May 2011 at 22:50

Sucks that you brought mouldy bread, that is a definate no, no for me. I like my bread fresh and that would spoil the bbq for me

Razor-BladE · 16 May 2011 at 23:05

2.
Depending on what and how much is mouldy I'd take the mould off and still eat it, such as if there's a tiny bit on bread, anymore and I'll bin it. Veg/fruit, any mould and I'll bin. Haven't had anything else go off yet in my experience.

fez · 16 May 2011 at 23:28

I find that pre sliced crap like hovis goes mouldy quite quickly but if you catch it at the right time you can pick off the mould then toast. You do sometimes get a little after taste of mould though.

As mentioned, food manufacturers wouldn't put a use by date that was anywhere near accurate in case someone got ill. The other side is that they can sell you another one without you having used the last one.

Amp34 · 17 May 2011 at 01:50

Muban said:
For certain foods I definitely wouldn't go past the date (raw chicken), other foods I will. If it's safe to eat over the date and looks fine I'd eat it. Though I prefer my food fresh as possible so rarely get into that situation.

As for the bread, if it was moudly I wouldn't eat it. No idea if it's bad to eat it or not but it would be far from fresh if it had started to go moudly. Bread that isn't fresh mings I'd rather go without.

TBH you know when not to eat chicken. I've had plenty of times recently when it's been within use by date but has smelt so rancid and had spots on that I wouldn't touch it (the joy of having a shared kitchen and people turnign the fridge right down).

I generally take use by dates as reasonably strict but will give it a sniff etc instead of automatically throw it away. Best before dates I ignore entirely, unless it's something like dairy in a pot that's a month or two out of date...

Jolteh · 17 May 2011 at 03:31

I'd be pretty irked if I was at a bring-your-own-food BBQ and someone was trying to fodder off their mouldy bread rolls. If it's you and maybe your family it might be alright, but expecting guests and friends to do it is a bit of a faux pas in my opinion.

The only time I'd touch food that's had mould on is if we're talking cheese, and even then, only if it's meant to have been on there.

If food is out of date by a day or two, I'll probably consider it safe unless it looks or smells a bit dodgy. 3+ days and it's auto-bin territory.

The exception for me is fish. I'm so anxious about rotten seafood that I won't buy fish from a supermarket apart from a few exceptions.

mangobreeder · 17 May 2011 at 07:39

Jolteh said:
I'd be pretty irked if I was at a bring-your-own-food BBQ and someone was trying to fodder off their mouldy bread rolls. If it's you and maybe your family it might be alright, but expecting guests and friends to do it is a bit of a faux pas in my opinion.

+1 Pride would stop me doing palming off mouldy bread to mates

MikeHunt79 · 17 May 2011 at 07:55

In order to save starting a new thread, does anyone know what to do with things which have no sell by/use by date?

I've got some bottles of wine that have no sell by date, and they taste a little vinagery... Would it be best to chuck them out or would they be ok to drink? They don't taste too bad after the first bottle!

Cosimo · 17 May 2011 at 08:28

MikeHunt79 said:
In order to save starting a new thread, does anyone know what to do with things which have no sell by/use by date?

I've got some bottles of wine that have no sell by date, and they taste a little vinagery... Would it be best to chuck them out or would they be ok to drink? They don't taste too bad after the first bottle!

Your sense of taste, smell and common sense should be able to sort that out. That is assuming that you have them.

Van Hellseek · 17 May 2011 at 08:38

I wouldn't personally eat mouldy bread, but only for taste reasons though. I don't like bread unless it's fresh (made on the same day as consumption).

A simple bread fungus won't hurt you though. Not unless consumed in huge quantities.