Australian Food Safety Week 2025 is held from 8 to 15 November, and this year, the Food Safety Information Council and Byron Shire Council are reminding people of some of the biggest food myths.

One myth is that you can’t eat food past the ‘best before’ date.

Sarah Nagel, Manager Public and Environmental Services, said that it was important to pay attention to things like ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates, to keep yourself safe and healthy, but also reduce food waste.

“We know that grocery prices have increased in previous years, that’s why it’s important to pay attention to things like the ‘best before’ versus ‘use by’ dates on your food. 

“’Best before’ is only an indicator of quality and can still be eaten after that date, but you should use or freeze food by its ‘use by’ date,” Ms Nagel, said. 

“Simple things like freezing things like tomato paste into portions can prevent mould forming once you open the jar and save you money on your groceries,” she said. 

The theme for this year’s Food Safety Week is ‘Don’t swallow the myth – Food safety myth busting’ and some common myths are:  

• Hand sanitiser is better than handwashing.
• If you drop food on the floor, it is ok to eat up to five seconds. 
• Hamburgers can be served rare.
• You can tell if food is contaminated because it smells or tastes ‘off’. 
• It’s okay to cut mould off food.

For more information about food safety visit the Food Safety Information Council website. 

“North East Waste also has some great tips for reducing food waste,” Ms Nagel said.