In an ongoing effort to protect the consumer from buying and using outdated food and foods containing allergens, the USDA and the FDA oversee the food safety and inspection process for food and food safety labeling practices. By understanding the storage, handling and preparation of food products, you can better protect yourself by always reading and heeding the label.
Nutrition Facts
While the nutrition facts label lists the fat, protein and carbohydrate content of a product, it also provides helpful information for individuals with health conditions that could be adversely affected by eating certain nutrients. For instance a diabetic needs to know the sugar content of a product. If an individual is gluten intolerant, reading a nutrition facts label will tell them if a product has wheat or gluten. Under these conditions, a nutrition facts label does become a food safety label.
Sell-By Date
This date tells you, the consumer, as well as the company selling the product, how long that product can safely remain on the shelf for sale. The date indicates that you need to buy and use that product before the expiration date. For instance, when milk has a "sell-by" date, you should buy and use the product based on the manufacturers recommended date in order to assure the product is at its peak quality. The "best if used by" date tells you that if you want the best quality and flavor from that product, use it by the date listed.
Safe-Handling Instructions
One of the main causes of illness from eating packaged food products is mishandling. Safe-handling instructions are safety guidelines, particularly found on raw meats and poultry, that tell you how to handle, prepare and store a particular food item. Unsafe handling of food can cause severe illness and even death, so this label is one of the most important safety food labels that you can read.
Food Allergies
There are eight foods that account for 90 percent of food allergies, according to Food Safety.gov. Knowing if these foods are in the products you eat, can be critical. According to Rhonda Kane, Consumer Safety Officer, FDA, the food ingredient list becomes a food safety label for those suffering from food allergies. Wheat or gluten, milk, eggs, fish and shellfish, certain nuts including peanuts and soybeans are the main culprits. When food labels list these ingredients, a consumer with allergies knows to avoid them. As Kane states, "it's not worth playing Russian roulette with your life, or that of someone under your care."
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