Almost 70% of Spaniards consume expired food guide…

69 percent of Spaniards admit to consuming foods that have passed their expiration dateguided by their appearance, smell or taste to recognize if they can be taken, according to the latest Barometer on Food Safety of the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC).

The study, presented at the 23rd AECOC Congress on Food Safety and Quality, points out that the label is one of the main means of contact between the consumer and food products. In fact, 94 percent of the population says they regularly read label information.

According to details, the data that arouses the greatest interest is the expiration date, which mentions 81 percent of respondents, the list of ingredients, which 67 percent allude to, and nutritional information (48%).

Furthermore, consumers largely understand the basic concepts related to food security. Thus, 89 percent of those surveyed correctly interpret the difference between expiration date and best before datealthough as previously mentioned this knowledge does not always translate into coherent behavior and the consumption of expired products is widespread.

In this line, 55 percent of consumers say they consume food, even if the recommended period has passed after opening them, if you consider them to be in good condition. Meanwhile, only a third claim to always respect the time indicated by the manufacturer.

Food handling and preservation

Regarding food handling and conservation measures, almost half of those surveyed claim to know that these guidelines directly affect their food safety. Despite this, the barometer identifies risk practices, such as the fact that 87 percent let food cool for hours at room temperature before saving them, 65 percent reheat leftovers more than once and 47 percent defrost food on the counter for long periods of time.

Likewise, eating habits that increase exposure to possible health riskssuch as the preference for undercooked omelette (33%), undercooked hamburgers (21%). Similarly, 41 percent point out that they store food in the refrigerator in the same can in which they bought it.

However, consumers show a high interest in stay informed about food and safety in this area. 76 percent are informed about issues related to food safety and, to do so, they rely mainly on health professionals and scientific disseminators as sources of information.

On the other hand, 73 percent consider that security levels have improved compared to the last three decades and 61 percent understand that zero risk does not exist.

Regarding the channels where Spaniards are informed about product recalls, the most frequent are television and radio (61%) and online news (41%). Both, television and radio (32%) are the media they consider most reliable, followed by the official websites and social networks of consumer associations (25%).

However, the study also detects a clear demand for greater transparencyboth by the food chain and by the authorities.

In relation to health alerts, more than half of consumers remember seeing news about product recalls in the last year. This information generates diverse reactions, since 54 percent of respondents indicate that it gives them confidence in the system’s controls, while the remaining 46 percent warn that it causes distrust and fear of certain foods.

Altogether, the barometer draws the profile of an increasingly conscious and participatory consumer, who seeks information and better understands the concepts linked to food safetyalthough it maintains daily habits that show the need to continue strengthening dissemination and education in this area.

From hazard control to risk management

The 23rd AECOC Congress on Food Safety and Quality, in which this report was released, included the participation of the deputy director general of Food Safety Management of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN), Victorio José Teruel, and the deputy director general of Sanitary Agreements and Border Control of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Carmen González Martín.

Teruel has stated that food security policies are advancing from a model focused on hazard control to an approach based on risk management. In this sense, it has highlighted the importance of rigorously validating the useful life of products, especially against listeria, taking into account factors such as pH, water activity, packaging or storage temperature.

He has also reported on the preparation of a technical guide aimed at the sector, which recommends integrating periodic verifications into food safety systems and relying on predictive microbiology studies. In addition, it has stressed the importance of validating the shelf life of ready-to-eat foods as a key investment in safety.

For her part, Carmen González has stated that Spain exports about half of its agri-food productiona fact that shows the relevance of the sector in international trade. According to him, imports are subject to a rigorous control system that includes audits in the countries of origin and documentary, identity and physical controls at the border.

In addition, the reinforcement of sampling controls has been highlighted, with a 25 percent increase in fruits and vegetables to detect pesticides and 38 percent in products of animal origin, based on risk assessments according to the country and type of product.

Regarding the agreement with Mercosur, González has stressed that it follows the same procedure as other treaties and that the health, animal and plant health and food safety standards of the European Union are not negotiable, so that all imported products must comply with community regulations.