Tilted Green Blob

Expired Foods You Can – And CAN'T – Eat

Milk

The process of pasteurisation gets rid of harmful bacteria in milk but bacteria can still grow, especially if the milk is kept out of the fridge too long.

Berries

The official advice is to discard soft fruits once they have any mould growth as their high moisture content means they can be contaminated with bugs you can't see.

Whipped cream

Homemade whipped cream should be eaten quickly, not because it could make you sick but because it will lose its texture and no longer be fresh.

Bagged salads

Pre-made bagged salads may be pre-washed multiple times, but because they’re handled so frequently they are still prone to getting bacteria, which can include listeria, salmonella and E. coli at the very worst.

Raw chicken

Always take care when handling the chicken however, as elevated bacteria levels from the raw meat can still pose a risk of illness if they're spread around the fridge or onto kitchen surfaces.

Fish

Fish that isn't fresh or hasn't been subject to proper storage and handling can cause food poisoning. One to two days is the maximum amount of time fish should be kept in the fridge before cooking or freezing.

Minced beef

Minced beef is much more likely to cause food poisoning than a lump of steak, as bacteria like E. coli, salmonella or staphylococcus aureus on the outside can get mixed all the way through when the beef is minced

Fresh mussels

Live, fresh mussels can last a couple of days in the fridge. And there are some important rules to follow: don't put live mussels into airtight containers.

Spinach

Use before dates on spinach leaves are a good guide, but once they start to wilt, don't eat them uncooked. Wilted leaves are fine cooked, but once they are brown or slimy the rule is to not eat them at all.