The secret code hidden on fruits and vegetables that tells you exactly how fresh they are
We're a nation obsessed with use–by dates.
So a recent supermarket change – which saw 'best before' dates removed from many pre–packaged fresh fruit and vegetables – may have triggered a few meltdowns.
Now, experts have revealed a secret code that can help decipher how fresh items are.
At Asda and Tesco, look for a letter followed by a number, they say. 'A' refers to January, 'B' is February, 'C' is March and so on, while the number refers to the day of the month.
So, for example, the best–before date of an item with the code J27 would be October 27.
Those who prefer to shop at Sainsburys will have a different code to decipher, they revealed.
These codes all begin with 'J' and end in 'S' – in reference to founder J Sainsbury – and contain the date in the middle.
This code, on a packet of leeks from Sainsburys, means the best before date is the 28th of November
Morrison's kiwi fruit with a fresh produce display date of 'D5', which translates to the 5th of December
Therefore, an item with the code 'J0904S' will have a best–before date of April 9.
Morrisons is probably the easiest to work out, they said, as the supermarket simply uses the first letter and day of the month.
Therefore, a product with the code 'S27' has a best–before date of 27 September.
This could potentially cause some confusion, however, as certain months such as June and July start with the same letter.
'Bear in mind that food is usually perfectly edible after its best–before or sell–by date – it should be fine to eat if it looks and smells OK,' their website reads.
'However, food with a use–by date, such as pre–cut fruit, must be eaten by midnight of its expiry date, or it could be unsafe.'
The tips will hopefully help reduce food waste, which has become a major issue for households across the UK.
A survey of 2,000 Brits, carried out by Aldi, found that while a third of us claim to have the best intentions to eat healthy fruits and vegetables, more than half admit to throwing too much of it away.
The hack will prove helpful for those who like to check the best–before dates of fruit and vegetables, like these at Sainsburys (file image)
The average household chucks away a whopping nine pieces a week – adding up to £468 over the course of a year – they discovered.
As part of the survey, Aldi also pinpointed the most commonly thrown away fresh food items in Britain.
Bananas top the list, with households each chucking away an average of 115 a year, while tomatoes, mushrooms, and 'easy peelers' are also ending up in the bin.
Almost a quarter of respondents said they only get through half a bag of salad before having to throw it away.
Meanwhile, 57 per cent admitted they don't fully understand exactly where and how to store food to keep it fresh for longer.
