Local nutritionist Lorna Edwards says some foods can be consumed up to a week after expiration; however, ingesting expired canned foods can have serious health risks.

According to Edwards, canned goods should not be consumed because while the shelf life is longer than most foods, when these foods expire they could result in poisoning if the contents are ingested.

“Some canned food when you open them maybe rusty on the inside and that can cause poisoning,” Edwards explained

Expiration dates are placed on the foods we consume to reflect when to buy or use a product at its best quality.

She said while a person might not get sick formatting expired food, its freshness and nutrient value may be diminished. So the trick is to know how long a product is safe to eat after its expiration date.

Edwards said a few days beyond the ‘sell by’ date probably will not hurt, However after several weeks or months, harmful bacteria can build up in many food items.

Additionally, she said apart from the awful after taste some foods like pastries and beverages might have if consumed while expired, there are hardly any health risks.

Here are a few useful definitions:

. “Best if used by” means that the flavour or the quality of the product is adversely affected after this date.

. “Sell by” means that this is the date that stores which decide to protect their customers by removing expired food pull it off shelves by this date. But you can still buy it on this date and use it.

. “Use by” means this is the expiration date. Don’t buy it. This is the only expiration guideline that means exactly what it says.

Functional foods

All foods are functional by virtue of the nutrients that they provide. But the term functional foods refers to foods with a bit more.

The overriding idea is that these are foods that have an ingredient or component that offers a benefit outside of nutritional value.

Functional foods can be grouped into four basic types:

. Naturally occurring foods

. Fortified foods

. Foods with non-food additives

. Tailor-made foods

Naturally occurring foods are the oldest category of functional foods. These foods are unmodified, and in their natural state, they confer a health benefit. This category includes foods like oats. Oats is naturally a valuable source of the soluble fibres, which have been shown to lower cholesterol. Another food in this category is garlic which is theorised to have medicinal and anticancer properties due to the presence of a compound called allicin.

Tomatoes, which are regarded as having also anti-cancer properties because of the abundant presence of the phytochemical lycopene, have been included in the list of natural functional foods. The list also includes citrus fruits, cruciferous (edible plants) vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and green tea, all with cancer- prevention properties. Also in this group are red wine and grapes, which are believed to protect against cardiovascular diseases, and cranberry juice, which is believed to be effective in the treatment of bacterial urinary tract infections. There are also animal products that confer a health benefit beyond nutrition.

Fish, especially those containing omega three fatty acids are considered functional foods. Omega-three acids are believed to be protective against cardiovascular disease. Dairy products are also sconsidered functional foods, specifically those that are high in calcium.

Calcium-rich diets have been shown to be protective against osteoporosis, a bone disease. In addition, fermented dairy products such as yoghurts, contain probiotics (live bacterial cultures) that confer health benefits by improving the intestinal microbalance of the person eating it. Fortified foods are functional foods because they have extra nutrients deliberately added to them. This type of functional food includes items such as iodised table salt, milk fortified with vitamins A and D, fortified flour and breakfast cereals.

Herbs are increasingly being found in foods. These herbs are usually believed to have a particular health benefit like improving mood or increasing energy, memory capacity or libido. Food with herbs added range from soups and sports drinks, to chewing gum. Tailor-made functional foods such as energy bars and energy drinks have also been manufactured to have a specific purpose.

– Nyam News, a product of the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institue