People are going hungry while businesses are wasting food.
Food loss and waste
Globally, there is growing consensus that we need to take action to address food loss and waste. Food that is produced but not eaten ends up in landfills and creates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. More immediately, it is just wrong that this food should go to waste when there are so many people don’t have enough food to eat or feed their families.
Grocery stores
Grocery stores usually dump perishable foods, such as meat, dairy and baked goods, that have reached the “best before” date but are still good to eat.
With the assistance of the LOOP program, we have teamed up with local grocery store Save-On Foods to recover this type of food that would otherwise go to waste. After picking up the food (we do this daily), it goes straight to the freezer where it remains for a short time before being distributed to those in need.
Farm produce
Fresh vegetables and fruit that are not sold due to over production or delays in distribution arrangements would usually go to the farm’s compost or be fed to livestock. This perfectly good food can be donated by the farmers to foodbanks so that people in need have access to better nutrition.
Terra Nostra farm has made huge donations to the foodbank since we started this program. Several other farms continue to donate as well. The farmers get a Farmers Tax Credit (see more on this page).
What is a best before date?
A best before date on a food package states when the durable life period of the food ends. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, durable life means “the anticipated amount of time that an unopened food product, when stored under appropriate conditions, will retain its freshness, taste, nutritional value, or any other qualities claimed by the manufacturer.” This date can be found on a package underneath the words “best before” or “meilleur avant”.
This date tells consumers that the unopened product should be of high quality until that specific date. The key with this date is that it is dependent upon the product being properly handled and stored based on the requirements of that particular food product. This means that failure to adhere to the guidelines for handling and storing a particular product will affect its quality by the best before date. This also means that the best before date no longer applies if a package is opened.
Best before dates do not guarantee that a food product is safe to prepare and serve to customers. Food businesses must ensure that Food Handler protocols and food safety rules are being followed to ensure a food product is safe for consumption.
Note — the best before date is not the same as the expiration date.
What is an expiry date?
An expiry date is not the same as a best before date. These dates are required on certain foods that have specific nutritional compositions that could falter after the determined expiration date. In other words, after the expiration date has passed, the food may not have the nutrient content as described on the label.
Expiry dates are required for formulated liquid diets, foods sold by a pharmacist, meal replacements, nutritional supplements and infant formula.
If a food has passed its expiration date it should be discarded and not used.
We never pick up or distribute food that has reached its expiry date.