The practice of removing best-before dates labels and plastic packaging could prevent 14 million shopping baskets’ worth of food from going to waste, a food waste charity Wrap has recommended. Doing so would make consumers buy the right amount, avoiding buying bigger packets than they need, and judge for themselves when items were still fine to eat.
Wrap’s chairman Marcus Gover called the practice a game-changer in the fight against food waste and plastic pollution. He said they had demystified (使容易理解) the relationship between wasted food, plastic packaging, date labels and food storage.
“It is clear that plastic packaging doesn’t necessarily extend the life of fresh produce, but instead can increase waste,” he said. Around 9.5 million tonnes of food are wasted in the UK every year, according to previous Wrap figures, with more than 85% coming from households and food producers.
Based on an 18-month study into five commonly wasted items — apples, bananas, broccoli, cucumber and potatoes — stored in the original packaging and at different temperatures, Wrap found produce good to eat well after the best-before date, with apples lasting at least two and a half months after if stored at 4℃, and broccoli staying fresh for more than two weeks afterwards. Removing the best-before dates labels could save 100,000 tonnes of household food waste, more than 10,300 tonnes of plastic and 130,000 tonnes of carbon emission a year, Wrap found.
Susan Jebb, chairwoman of the Food Standards Agency, said businesses should use date labels carefully and make it clear when it’s necessary to help shoppers reduce the risk of food-related illnesses. “A best-before date is about quality, which means the food will be safe to eat after this date, even if it may not be at its best,” she said, whereas use-by dates should be reserved for food like meat and salad which can become unsafe more quickly.
【小题1】Why does Marcus call the practice a game-changer?| A．It saves products’ costs. | B．It increases production. |
| C．It ensures food’s safety. | D．It protects the environment. |
| A．Some food is harmless after the best-before date. |
| B．The best-before date contributes to food storage. |
| C．The best-before date label reduces the waste. |
| D．Label-making leads to massive carbon emission. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Indifferent. | C．Cautious. | D．Opposed. |
| A．The Best-Before Date Is Seldom Unreliable |
| B．Plastic Packages Can Keep Foods Fresh Longer |
| C．Food Plastic Packages Are a Double-Edged Sword |
| D．No Unnecessary Best-Before Dates and Plastic Packages |
