To cook 1kg steak mince 4 days past best before date?

[Diedre44]

Smells fine, no brown bits still very pink. Been on bottom shelf of fridge (coldest spot) fridge temp 2degrees?
Was going to do cottage pie...
Will I give us food poisoning?

See…”Use by” not “Sell by” and not “Best before”

@Onnabugeisha
Beef mince doesn’t have a best before date in the U.K., it always has a use by date.

This! Meat always has Use By, so there’s not a chance in hell I’d use it 4 days after. I’ve done it one day over as I’m fit and healthy but never did with my Dc when they were younger.

It will be absolutely fine if it smells and looks ok. It’s appalling the amount of perfectly fine food people chuck away in this country

If it doesn’t knock your head off when you open the packet, I would probably just cook it.

Pathogenic bacteria, as in food poisoning bacteria, has no smell or taste and you cannot see it. So sniffing it will make sod all difference. The longer it's left the more it multiplies and some release toxins that are not killed off by cooking.

Not in a million years! I worry even when it’s out of date that day. Let alone four days! Don’t risk it you could be very poorly! I couldn’t enjoy a dinner knowing it possibly could make me very ill

I wouldn't personally. Knowing it's out of date would prevent me from enjoying the meal, even if its actually harmless.

But others (DH) would have no issue with that and would use their nose to decide if it's edible. Other factors to take into account are the temperature of your fridge and the method of cooking

No it's a use by date and it's mince so all mushed up so you can't tell which bit is the "outside" of the cut of meat.

Don't eat it you'll get ill and ruin everyone's weekend.

Yeah if it was as easy as smelling it no one would get ill

I've never went as far as 4 days, probably 2 has been my limit, it has just never happened so far. I usually cook it and stick it back in the fridge cooked for a few more days.

Let us all know in a couple of days if you survived. If you don't reply we'll assume it wasn't a good idea. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think people mistake food spoilage bacteria which you can see/smell/taste but is unlikely to make you very poorly with food poisoning bacteria which will make you poorly.

I've done 2 weeks before as it was starting to ice in the fridge.. I'm still alive. But just be careful if your immune compromised.

Why? You won’t enjoy eating it!

I was served mince that was five days over and I ended up violently ill, as did a friend who also ate it. She ended up in hospital, I spent the night on the bathroom floor and missed a visit with family.

You can't smell when food is off!

I would and have loads of times and been fine, we sniff test and don't bin much in this house.

Ah I see.

YOU CAN'T SMELL ALL BACTERIA

I think you are bonkers OP! Not being able to smell the offness makes no difference, nor does cooking it at very high temps for very long. I’d chance it with things like yoghurt too, but no chance would I risk it with mince. I hope it works out for you though!

Someone mentioned using yoghurt and eggs beyond the dates on the packet.

Eggs have a best before date on the box and can be used for some time after that date and yoghurt is known to last beyond the use by date.

Mince however, goes off very quickly, even compared to, for instant, a joint of meat, because it has many cut sides.

There's no way I'd use any meat 4 days after it's use by date, using such out of date mince is asking for trouble.

You can't smell ANY food poisoning bacteria. It's completely tastless/doesn't smell and you can't see it.

If it hadn't changed colour, didn't smell sour etc, I would use it.

Agree with all those saying not to eat it. It's 4 days past its date.

Consider what you are eating: fresh meat, at the start, that has been minced, and given a shelf life. It's going to start to deteriorate from the moment it's cut & processed; its shelf life is extended by the processing it receives, but it's not magic keep a perishable product safe & edible for 4 days past a use-by date.

Mince is risky, it has so much surface area for bacteria to grow on. I wouldn’t risk it and I wouldn’t be able to enjoy eating it. But you’ll get loads of people telling you they’ve done it and it was fine.

If it's mince, are you sure it's a best before and not a use by date?! Meat usually has use by dates.