Eating expired food: Can cooking make it safe? Doctor explains what happens to meat, fish and paneer

Bengaluru has recently experienced increased food safety inspections, resulting in the seizing of over 1,089 kg of expired and improperly stored food products from hotels. The inspections found expired milk, rotten meat, and other deteriorated food items. Doctor Yogesh Batra, a senior consultant gastroenterologist, explains that consuming expired food can lead to various digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and even fever.

He clarifies that an expiry or use-by date indicates the time frame during which a food product remains safe and suitable for consumption when stored as recommended. However, this date does not mean the food suddenly becomes unsafe the day after it expires.

The risk of illness from consuming expired food depends on the type of food, how it has been stored, and how long it has been consumed beyond its recommended date. Highly perishable foods like meat, fish, and paneer are particularly vulnerable to microbial growth if stored for prolonged periods or at unsuitable temperatures. Cooking can destroy many bacteria and microorganisms when food is heated adequately, but it may not always make spoiled or contaminated food safe.

Certain microorganisms can produce toxins that remain even after heating, and some bacteria form heat-resistant spores. Moreover, even properly cooked food can become recontaminated if it comes into contact with raw meat, contaminated utensils, surfaces, or hands. Cooking should not be relied upon to extend the safe life of food beyond its recommended date.