Food waste decreasing according to shelf-life prolongation based on the examination of aerobic colony count in different foodstuffs by redox potential measurement

Abstract

Everyday consumer goods are subject to food wastage- those discarded, or intended or required to be discarded; as such, the consumer goods chosen for the purpose of the study –ham, cheese, and milk- represent the products found in the average consumer household. A large number of the products are left unconsumed due to the suggested expiration dates present on the packaged foodstuffs, indicated as the ‘Use by’ or ‘Best by’ date. Yet, many consumer products are deemed suitable for human consumption having passed their individual expiration dates based on microbiological criteria alone. The use by dates suggestive of product safety, while best by labels are advisory and indicative of quality. The microbiological tests performed were aimed primarily to yield results to support this claim. The study, carried out by the Food Hygiene department, has abided by the legislations set by the EU Commission and the Food & Drug Administration’s guidelines.