Expiration Dates
Date labels have been a source of confusion in the food industry for decades. The discrepancy between “Use by” and “Best before” may seem small, but the connotations in those phrases are enough to drive 31% of food waste from retailers and consumers combined. Not to mention these are not the only labels floating around – or that the dates found on them can be completely unreliable.
The expiration date conundrum has led not only to significant food waste but also issues with food safety. Manufacturers are allowed to label their food products as they see fit and there are no federal rules governing them. The lack of clarity can lead to food being consumed well past its shelf life, causing illness and other safety risks.
While there is legislation currently underway to standardize date labels in the US, there may not be enough support behind it to see change anytime soon. The Sources to Courses food tracking platform is able to immutably record the exact date of harvesting, preparation, and packaging of food, accompanied with transparent data, so that retailers and consumers can verify freshness for themselves.
Allergens
It’s estimated that 32 million Americans have food allergies, and the number only increases. When it comes to being diet-conscious, there are various motivators, but allergies pose a serious health risk that cannot be negotiated. While restaurants and grocery stores all around the world are rising up to meet the needs of consumers with food sensitivities, there remains a gap that needs to be addressed – transparency.
Some allergens are required to be noted on packaging when present, while others are not. Some restaurants provide detailed ingredients for their menu items, while others do not. Consumers are often put in the difficult position of trusting the promises of people they don’t even know when it comes to their health.
Sources to Courses offers transparent insights on the origins of food products, including the kinds of foods that are produced at that location. Our platform provides hardened data that is Touch Audit™ enabled for quickly retrieving a list of all ingredients. Ingredients are recorded from the source in a way that is immutable, or unable to be altered.
Chemicals & Pesticides
Date labels have been a source of confusion in the food industry for decades. The discrepancy between “Use by” and “Best before” may seem small, but the connotations in those phrases are enough to drive 31% of food waste from retailers and consumers combined. Not to mention these are not the only labels floating around – or that the dates found on them can be completely unreliable.
The expiration date conundrum has led not only to significant food waste but also issues with food safety. Manufacturers are allowed to label their food products as they see fit and there are no federal rules governing them. The lack of clarity can lead to food being consumed well past its shelf life, causing illness and other safety risks.
While there is legislation currently underway to standardize date labels in the US, there may not be enough support behind it to see change anytime soon. The Sources to Courses food tracking platform is able to immutably record the exact date of harvesting, preparation, and packaging of food, accompanied with transparent data, so that retailers and consumers can verify freshness for themselves.
Food Safety
