to tell you that food that "doesn't go off" does go off

[Msplace]

There's labels on food that tell you to use it within a period of time of being open. I was advised those labels didn't matter and if it smells ok it probably is, and they're just designed to make you buy more food more often make money. Don't listen to people who tell you this! This poor advice made me very ill.

I made shirkhand yesterday, half a pot of natural yogurt had been open for a few days and one unopened. I put both into a Muslim bag and it was strained in the kitchen for about 4 hours before adding sugar and milk infused with saffron and put back into the fridge and eaten when chilled with a pomegranate I opened last week. I'm fine.

Shrikhand.

It’s wild to me that all of these PPs are saying 5 days after opening is too long!
If it looks okay, smells normal and most importantly tastes okay, it’s fine.
My family and I have been eating “vintage yoghurt” for years and never had any issues - can’t imagine 5 day old open yoghurt causing anyone a problem, unless it was stored incorrectly!

I don't think I've ever even looked at the dates on yogurt cartons. I discard if the tub is swollen, that's my indicator. Never had a problem yet, and I do put the lids back on unused portions of the carton.

However, I NEVER eat from the carton with a spoon and then put back the uneaten bit. That's my bacteria gone back in there! I either eat the lot or decant some of the bigger tubs into a bowl to add fruit etc.

Yogurt has to be the longest lasting thing in my fridge, opened or resealed.

My 950g tub of Greek yoghurt lasts me 5 days. It's got a lid on it & is always kept in the fridge.

Yoghurt's off milk anyway! I've eaten stuff that's been open a week and it has never made me ill 🤷 If it smells funky or if it's obviously furry then I'll leave it, otherwise it's fair game. Have also just picked the furry bits off and eaten the rest in the past too

Me too! I get big pots of Greek yoghurt and keep it until it's gone or the side gets a spot of mould. This could be a month at least. Definitely never been ill from it.

My fridge is cold though, around 2 degrees. I also never put a spoon back in the pot once the spoon has been in my mouth as you'd be introducing bacteria.

weird, what kind of yogurt?
We routinely use yogurt that's 7+ days since it was opened. Heck, I'd scrape off visible mould & eat what's left (I have done, nothing bad happened).

Did you literally eat no other food about the same time & there's no chance you got noro off of anyone.

Really how weird.
I've got natural live yoghurt in my fridge that's 8 days older than its sale by date, and still ok.
Maybe it hasn't been stored correctly before you bought it ?

I buy yogurt to eat for breakfast but I only have breakfast at weekends so I regularly eat yogurt that's been open for 7 days (but has a lid on it in the fridge). It's never made me ill 🤷‍♀️

I use a big pot of yoghurt over a couple of weeks also, and have used it a few days after the best by date with no ill effects.

However, use by date is not the same as best by date.

Totally depends on the food. Shellfish I would not contemplate; dairy products I would be cautious. Meats like salami, cheese etc can go waaaay past use buy if kept in the right conditions. Some vegetables too.

Was it yoghurt or some weird low-fat concoction with fructose syrup etc in it? Processed, chilled food I think it's more important to stick to use by dates. Plain full fat yoghurt lasts ages if clean spoon used each time.

I think it depends on the yoghurt. Proper Greek yoghurt keeps well beyond its use by date, but low fat stuff with all the thickeners and additives I would trust less.

Were you sick ? Vomiting seems to be one of the first symptoms of covid in this area at the moment.

Food poisoning from hummus is surprisingly common too
I didn't know that! How long can you keep it in the fridge?

Very good point

Who ever said that yogurt doesn't go off? Of course it does. That doesn't mean you have to chuck it on the date on the packet but you use your eyes and your nose to tell you if it's still OK.

Open as in lid off for that amount of time, or previously opened and lid put back on?

Interesting. I always buy natural or Greek, and it lasts ages.

We always buy the large 1kg Greek yogurt ( well 800g since shrinkflation).
Have never eaten all that in 3 days. It lasts us a good week. Can’t say it’s every gone off or made us ill
Same here. If it doesn't look off, smell off, or taste off and it's something that's unlikely to cause illness then I'll eat it.

Best before and use by are different things.

I'd take my chances on cheese but wouldn't with meat or fish.

If the yogurt made you ill I think you need to make sure your fridge is cold enough.

My fridge is cold though, around 2 degrees. I also never put a spoon back in the pot once the spoon has been in my mouth as you'd be introducing bacteria. How many spoons do you use to eat one yoghurt?

I dollop out a portion of yoghurt from the large pot into a bowl so a dirty spoon never goes back in the yoghurt.

Ah I see