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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) recommends consumers who stocked up on food during Christmas and New Year time and this food still remains in their pantries and fridges, to examine their state.

First of all, it is important to pay attention to the use by date on the packaging of so called “risky foodstuffs” the shelf-life of which is limited. These are for example mayonnaise salads, certain sauces, creamy desserts or some meat products. If the date, indicated on the packaging with the words “To be used by…”, has already expired, such foodstuff must be disposed of because expired foodstuffs with short shelf-life do not belong neither on counters in shops nor into fridges and pantries at home.

If consumers continuously consume foodstuffs kept in freezers, it is necessary to follow the rule that once a foodstuff has been thawed, it is not possible to re-freeze it.

It is also high time to check open compotes, preserves and jams, fresh fruit and vegetables and sweets. If they begin to mould, they must be disposed of. Moulds are very dangerous and they cannot be removed only by taking or cutting off the visibly mouldy part on the surface.

CAFIA even recommends to check how sweets with longer shelf-life are stored. The most suitable place is dry and cold place or a refrigerator, provided that sweets are kept in the packaging. Attention should be paid to the storage conditions. These apply to storing foodstuffs in shops, as well as in households.