Each year, French households throw on average 7 kg of still-packaged products in the trash, even though many remain completely consumable. According to an OpinionWay study for SmartWay, 94% of French people say they pay attention to waste, but 1 in 2 French people eliminate at least one type of product each month, often just because the date has passed. Behind these figures lies a lot of confusion around the famous “expiration date”. The key to enjoying these “past” foods safely? Distinguish DLC from DDM.
DDM, DLC: how to recognize foods that are still edible?
The Service-Public.fr website explains that the DLC indicates a health limit, while the DDM corresponds to the moment when the food can begin to lose a little taste or texture. The General Directorate for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) indicates that DDM products can therefore be sold and consumed after this date, if their appearance is not altered. In short, an “expired” cookie can be just a little less crispy, without being dangerous.
According to the website economie.gouv.fr, the format of the DDM already gives an index: day/month/year for a shelf life of less than three months, month/year between three and eighteen months, only a year beyond that. The Top Santé site indicates for its part that, for these stable foods, an excess of a few months remains possible: up to approximately 3 months after a DDM to the nearest day, up to 18 months after a DDM to the nearest month, and often much more for a DDM limited to the year, provided that the product is intact.
Foods that last long after the posted date
Among these foods consumed after the date, we first find very dry products: pasta, rice, lentils, chickpeas, breakfast cereals and dry biscuits. All remain edible as long as the package is tightly closed, without strange odors or traces of insects. Next come very sweet products such as honey, sugar, certain jams or chocolate, whose high sugar content limits the development of bacteria.
We can also keep salt, coffee, tea, spices, vegetable oils and many condiments (soy sauce, mustard, pickles in a jar) for a long time as long as they carry a DDM. Sterilized canned goods and UHT milk in cartons are among the 18, as are certain frozen foods that have never been thawed. Here again, the rule remains the same: non-inflated packaging, no rust or bulging lids on the boxes, absence of abnormal frost in the freezer.
The anti-waste guide you need to know
According to the OpinionWay study for SmartWay cited by Top Santé, 59% of French people throw away a product because of its appearance and 32% because of the DLC. To limit this waste, Decree No. 2022-1440 of November 17, 2022 authorizes manufacturers to add the phrase “This product can be consumed after this date“.
Concretely, before eating a food whose MBD has been exceeded, take a few seconds to check: date (DDM, never DLC), packaging, smell and appearance of the food. You must observe it, smell it then taste it in small quantities, and abstain if anything seems suspicious. By following these simple guidelines, many products will end up on your plate rather than in the trash.