Do you always check the expiry date before buying any product? If not, you should start because experts warn that consuming expired products can sometimes cause food poisoning. In the last one year, the BAFRA office across the country seized and destroyed more than 300,000 kilograms of food items. The highest number seized was from Dagana.
According to people BBS talked to, they don’t always check the expiry dates of the products.
“I do all the shopping. To be honest, we don’t really get time to check the expiry date for everything. When we shop in bulk, we do not know we bought the expired goods until we are home. Some expired goods have insects. That’s when we know it has expired,” said Leki Jamtsho, in Thimphu.
“Our children who are educated do understand that they should look at the expiry date. But our parents, they don’t have the knowledge about expired goods and all,” added Krishna Lal Dhakal, in Tsirang.
“It is very important to know about these things. Most people don’t look at the expiry date. For me, if I have time, I make sure I look at the expiry dates. But I forget sometimes when I am out of time,” said Nima Tshering, in Thimphu.
However, some customers BBS caught up with said they always make sure that the products they are buying are not expired.
“If we don’t, we will get sick. We know milk has expired when we boil it. I am not literate but I make sure I give it to someone who knows how to read,” said Chimi Dema, in Tsirang.
Every year, BAFRA encounters a substantial amount of expired food products and this year is no exception. Recently, people have been complaining about encountering and buying food items which have expired or nearing expiry. The shops and wholesalers in Thimphu said the increase in expired food is a result of the lockdown. Of the many items, juice and canned foods top the list.
In the 2021-2022 financial year, BAFRA recorded about 26,000 kilograms of expired food items in the country.
The BAFRA office in Thimphu says they don’t think there are more cases this year than the previous years.
“So many people reporting and complaining about expired goods in the market is perhaps due to their knowledge about risk associated with consuming expired foods,” said Sonam Dolma, a Senior Food Inspector at the BAFRA.
As per the Food Act of Bhutan and its regulations, expired products are seized and destroyed by BAFRA. However, if the same food business operators have repeated non-compliance they are levied a fine equivalent to the market value of the product besides seizure and destruction of the expired products.
Scientifically, food doesn’t go bad in a split second. It’s a gradual process. And the expiry date is supposed to fall somewhere along this process.
“Expiry date or best before date is the assurance that producers give an indication that product will maintain its integrity for that period. After that, the product may deteriorate which may lead to a loss of its quality and suitability even causing food poisoning. Food poisoning also depends on the type of food. Some foods are high risk and some low risk,” she added.
As for the buyers, if they buy expired goods, they can ask for a replacement from the same shop. And if the shop refuses to exchange, they can file a complaint with the Office of Consumer Protection.
Samten Dolkar
Edited by Sonam
