The truth about yogurt expiration dates
How many times have you found an expired yogurt in the fridge? And, are you one of those who eat them after giving the matter a lot of thought or those who throw them outright? In any case, we are going with information that interests you and that will help you in your next big decision regarding this forgotten yogurt.
Yoghurts do not expire and this is confirmed by the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But why is there a date on every package? Boticaria García, popularizer and author of several nutrition and health books, explains it to us in a fun and simple way on her Instagram account (@boticariagarcia, in case you don’t follow her yet).
Since 2014, the regulation changed and the expiration date on yogurts was removed. The one that appears now is the best before date, which is not the same. The first refers to the moment when a product ceases to be safe, the second only that this food may lose some of its properties and, therefore, the manufacturer must warn him.
Boticaria García does not dare to give a specific date, but says that a yogurt can be safe even weeks after it has fulfilled the date printed on it. How to know is as easy as opening it and checking that everything is fine. If the color has changed, the texture is different or it doesn’t smell right, you should throw it away. It is a similar case to that of eggs, which are quickly noticed when they are in bad condition.
Differences between types of yogurt
What the expert does highlight is the great difference between the types of yogurt. The natural one will be the most resistant, while the ones with pieces of fruit are more sensitive and can spoil sooner. It is also important to know how this yogurt has been preserved, being able to maintain the cold chain being vital. If you’ve left a yogurt in a car for several hours, definitely don’t eat it.
Ramón de Cangas, PhD in Functional and Molecular Biology from the University of Oviedo and dietitian-nutritionist from the University of Navarra, explains that “yoghurt is a food with a very acidic pH (equal to or below 4.6). This acidity greatly complicates the establishment and development of pathogenic microorganisms that compromise our health.As if that were not enough, it is made with pasteurized milk, which removes the pathogenic and potentially disruptive microbial load from the beginning”, ends.
Also, on the same website of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics they remind us that yogurts last a while, but they are not eternal. In addition, as García also explains, after the time recommended by the manufacturer changes can be seen in the product that affect the flavor or texture. Some are mild, but others can make us hesitate, and this very question can make us feel bad, especially if it extends to being a little hypochondriacal. So the general recommendation is: if you start a yogurt and it looks and tastes good, enjoy it. Do you suspect?, then throw it away.