Consumption. Expired products: what signs should you look out for to avoid food poisoning?
How can you tell if a product is unfit for consumption? Its appearance, its smell, its taste, its expiration date? Which saints should you pray to to avoid indigestion or even food poisoning? Can you eat food even if its expiration date has expired?
"I'm not sure about the frozen pizza I left in the fridge? What would you do, would you eat it?" Have you enlisted the help of a "wise" friend to help you answer this crucial question?
Between frozen products, meat, dairy products, eggs, between health regulations, label indications and anti-waste instructions, the consumer and gourmet in you is lost... Enough to make you lose the desire for a pizza, even if it's your favorite.
So, how do you find your way around?
First, a little alarming reminder: according to Public Health France, 10,000 to 16,000 people are affected by collective food poisoning each year. In other words, food poisoning is very common, and eating expired food can be a contributing factor.
The most serious cases are sometimes fatal. As in the Aisne region on June 12, 2025 , when a 12-year-old girl died and eighteen minors were hospitalized; or in northern France in 2002, when two children died and dozens of others became seriously ill after eating pizzas from the Buitoni brand's Fraîch'Up range in 2022.
Poisonings that mainly affect the most vulnerable: the elderly or the youngest.
In the Loire, at the beginning of the year, ten children under 2 years old were victims in a nursery .
Photo illustration Catherine Aulaz
The basic rule remains to read the labels carefully with the manufacturing and expiry dates, and to differentiate between two dates, as Ouest France reminds us : the best before date (BBD), more commonly known as the expiry date, and the minimum durability date (MDD).
The best before date is found on the packaging with the words "use by..." "It must be followed to the letter: beyond the date indicated, the food can no longer be consumed, this can present risks to your health," says Public Health France.
This includes cold cuts, fresh meats, fish, certain dairy products and refrigerated ready meals.
The best before date is indicated on the packaging by the words "best before...". Don't worry: "Once the date has passed, there is no need to throw away the products concerned, provided that their packaging has not been damaged. The product can still be consumed without risk to health , " specifies Public Health France. This list of foods includes coffee, dry biscuits, canned food, but also baby food products.
Be careful when storing fresh or frozen products/Illustration photo DR
"Temperature is key to preventing the proliferation of microorganisms that could ruin our lives," warns Sandra Varnier, a chemical engineer at Ecolab , one of the world leaders in food safety.
Signs such as the smell or appearance of the packaging (swelling, slightly raised lid) should also alert you.
Fresh and frozen products
Meats, fish and cold cutsFresh meat and fish, sold in trays for example, should be consumed by the date indicated. Don't take liberties with vacuum-packed cold cuts either. On the other hand, whole cuts, such as sausage or ham, can safely exceed their expiration dates by three weeks.
MilkUnopened UHT milk can be stored for up to 2 months after its expiration date. Pasteurized milk is not sterile and must be used before its best before date. Fresh milk can only be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
CheesesThey generally have an approximate expiration date. They can be left to age in the refrigerator or in the kitchen, under a bell jar. Hard cheeses can be stored for about ten months, while soft cheeses can be stored for about ten days.
YogurtsPlain yogurts can generally be consumed up to three weeks after the best-before date. However, be more careful with fruit or sweetened yogurts and egg-based desserts.
Fruits and vegetablesAs long as they are not damaged in feel or appearance, you can eat them.
Frozen foodsThe dates mentioned on frozen products are provided for informational purposes only. Whether it's meat, fish, or ice cream, there's no problem if you exceed the best-before date: the product is no longer marketable but still edible. You just need to be vigilant about the chain of conservation, which must be strictly observed.
Retention periodsFruits and vegetables: 24 to 36 months. Bread and pastries: 12 to 24 months. Meat and fish: 8 to 24 months.
What about homemade frozen products?Beef, poultry, and game: 12 months. Fruits and vegetables: 8 to 10 months. Pork, lamb, and veal: 6 to 8 months. Fish: 3 to 5 months. Ready-to-eat meals: 3 months.
Another rule to post on your fridge: a flagship product has its own recommendation: eggs , with the recommended use-by date (RBD). It indicates the date 28 days after laying, because it is during this entire period that eggs are considered fresh. After this period, they are still edible. Do a little test to reassure yourself.
These best-before dates remain recommendations. Some perishable products, such as yogurts and butter, can still be consumed safely.
The reason is essentially marketing. So beware of the waste that excessive suspicion could lead you to! You'll probably be able to finish your pizza in peace before moving on to the next one.
Le Progres
