A decree relating to the consumable nature of foodstuffs after their minimum durability date (DDM) now allows operators to complete the statement “preferably consumed before” to indicate that the product remains consumable without risk to health beyond this date. The DDM provides information on the period during which the product retains all its taste or olfactory qualities, without explicitly indicating that it remains consumable after the date indicated on the product. Consumers interpret this to mean that, past the deadline, It is not recommended to consume the product and throw it away. Furthermore, this leads to a sharp drop in sales of products close to their MBD sold in stores. The new decree recalls that products whose MDD has been exceeded can be consumed without risk to health. Professionals will be able to add the words “For optimal tasting” before the indication of the DDM, or add the sentence : “This product can be consumed after this date”, or any mention with the equivalent meaning for the consumer. They can also combine the two aforementioned mentions. The words “consume until” accompanying the use-by date (DLC) of a product remain, as far as they are concerned, unchanged.
The minimum durability date better explained to avoid food waste
