Understanding Information on Products

Best if used by or best by, followed by a date, is one of the ways in which food manufacturers can make suggestions about how likely the quality of a product will remain consistent. This specific term is not meant to suggest that the food product is unsafe after the best if used by date. Instead it refers specifically to quality under ideal and appropriate storage conditions for that food. It should be noted that most best if used by dates are only appropriate so long as the food remains unopened. Once the food is opened, it tends to have a much shorter shelf life and will deteriorate more quickly.

For example, even a can of cola can have a best if used by date. In fact many cans of diet soda are likely to carry this label, since artificial sweeteners tend to degrade more quickly than sugar and corn syrup. Yet if you open up the can of soda, even if you store it in the fridge, it will begin to lose its pleasant fizz nearly right away. Within a day the cola will be flat, and the best if used by date no longer applies.

Some people contend that the best if used by date is one designed by clever manufacturers so people will discard anything past the date, regardless of whether it still might be good. There are some that argue this ensures people will regularly replace items they haven’t even used. There is some weight to this argument given the perception of the best if used by label.

In the course of some investigations people were tested with products that were still safe but past the best if used by date. It was more common for people to perceive foods past their date as “bad,” when this was not even the case. Taste acceptance, considering the food was still good, increased when people ate foods that were still within the best if used by date range. This doesn’t indicate a mass conspiracy on the part of food manufacturers to create freshness dating in order to provoke more sales. Yet it does tend to benefit food manufacturers.

There is a significant difference between the best if used by date and use by dates. Use by is not a freshness indicator but a recommendation regarding food safety. Any foods that have a specific use by date should be discarded after the date. If you freeze these foods, before the use by date, their life can be extended. Don’t freeze them the day of, or after the use by date since they may have spoiled.

If you’ve stored your food properly, the best if used by date can also be a guarantee that food should remain at peak quality. If you open up a pack of crackers with a best if used by date that has not yet passed and they are stale, there’s no reason why you can’t return them to the grocery store. From time to time, poor packaging or incorrect dating yields food that goes bad before the recommended best if used by label. Since food manufacturers must stand by these dates, returning food that is not in best condition prior to the date is both acceptable and reasonable.

Vocabulary Notes:

1. suggestion [sə`Gest∫ ə;n] / [sə`gest∫ ə;n] – порада, пропозиція; натяк; вказівка;

2. likely [`laıkli] – мабуть, певно; ймовірний; вірогідний;

3. to remain consistent [kən`sıst ə;nt] – залишатися постійним, стійким;

4. to be meant to [ment] – розрахований (на щось); призначений (для чогось);

5. appropriate [ə`prəupriət] / [ə`proupriət] – підхожий, відповідний; доречний, придатний (для чогось – to, for);

6. storage [`stO:rıG] – схов, зберігання;

7. to tend [tend] – мати тенденцію; схилятися (до чогось); мати нахил (до чогось);

8. to deteriorate [dı`tıəriəreıt] – погіршувати(ся); псувати(ся); вироджува-тися;

9. can (of cola) – банка (Коли);

10. artificial sweetener [ֽα:tı`fı∫<sup>ə</sup>l] / [ֽα:rtı`fı∫^əl] – штучний замінник цукру;

11. to degrade [dı`greıd] – псуватися; погіршуватися; руйнуватися;

12. corn syrup [`sırəp] – кукурузний сироп (різновид глюкози);

13. to store [`stO:] / [`stO:r] – зберігати; запасати, накопичувати; віддавати на зберігання;

14. (pleasant) fizz [fız] – (приємне) шипіння;

15. right away – негайно; одразу;

16. flat (about cola) – такий, що видихнувся; несвіжий, прісний, позбавлений смаку;

17. to contend [kən`tend] – стверджувати, наполягати; оспорювати, сперечатися;

18. to discard [dıs`kα:d] – бракувати; відкидати, звільняти;

19. regardless (of) [rı`gα:dləs] / [rı`gα:rdləs] – незалежно (від чогось); не беручи до уваги; незважаючи на; попри;

20. to argue [`α:gju:] / [`α:rgju:] – стверджувати, заявляти; аргументувати, доводити, наводити докази;

21. to ensure [ın`∫O:] / [ın`∫u^ər] – забезпечувати, гарантувати;

22. to replace [rı`pleıs] – заміняти; повертати; відновлювати;

23. weight (to the argument) – значення, важливість; сила; вплив; авторитет;

24. perception [pə`sep∫<sup>ə</sup>n] / [p<sup>ə</sup>r`sep∫^ən] – сприйняття, відчуття; розуміння, усвідомлення;

25. in the course (of) [kO:s] / [kO:rs] – під час, в ході (чогось);

26. to be the case – мати місце; бути таким;

27. acceptance [ək`sept ə;n^ts] – визнання; схвалення;

28. mass conspiracy [kən`spırəsi] – масова змова;

29. on the part (of) – з (чиєгось) боку;

30. freshness [`fre∫nəs] – прохолода; свіжість;

31. to provoke [prə`vəuk] / [prə`vouk] – викликати, збуджувати; провокувати; спонукати;

32. to spoil [spOı^əl] – псувати(ся) (про продукти);

33. peak quality [pi:k `kwOləti] – найвища (макимальна) якість;

34. stale [steı^əl] – черствий, несвіжий;

35. to yield (food) [ji:^əld] – призводити (до); здавати;

36. to stand by (these dates) – бути наготові; бути в резерві;

37. prior (to) [`pra ı;ə] / [`praı^ər] – попередньо; раніше;

38. acceptable [ək`septəb^əl] – прийнятний;

39. reasonable [`ri:z^ənəb^əl] – розумний, слушний, резонний; належний; обґрунтований.

 

Task 15. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Correct false statements.

1. Use by and best by dates on product label refer specifically to quality under ideal and appropriate storage conditions for the food.

2. Best if used by is not a freshness indicator but a recommendation regarding food safety.

3. Best by is a specific term which is meant to suggest that the food product is unsafe after the specified date.

4. Most best if used by dates are only appropriate so long as the food remains unopened.

5. Even a can of cola can have a best if used by date.

6. It is more common for people to perceive foods past their date as “bad,” when it is not even the case.

7. Freshness dating does not tend to benefit food manufacturers.

8. There is a significant difference between the best if used by date and use by dates.

9. If you freeze foods, before the use by date, their quality will remain consistent.

10. It is unreasonable to return a pack of stale crackers to the grocery store with a best if use by date that has not yet passed.

 

 

Task 16. Complete the sentences with the most appropriate items.

1. Best if used by or best by is a specific term which is meant to suggest that the food product is … after the specified date.

A. at peak quality;

B. unsafe;

C. safe;

2. Best if used by is a specific term which refers to quality under … storage conditions for that food.

A. any;

B. existing;

C. ideal and appropriate;

 

3. Most best if used by dates are only appropriate so long as the food remains …

A. unopened;

B. opened;

C. frozen;

 

4. Once the food is …, it tends to have a much shorter shelf life and will deteriorate more quickly.

A. frozen;

B. bought;

C. opened;

 

5. Cans of diet soda … carry a best if used by date label.

A. never;

B. seldom;

C. are likely to;

 

6. Artificial sweeteners tend to degrade … sugar and corn syrup.

A. more quickly than;

B. less quickly than;

C. as quickly as;

 

7. If you open up the can of soda and store it in the fridge, it will begin to … its pleasant fizz nearly right away.

A. lose;

B. gain;

C. strenghthen;

8. Some people contend that the best if used by date is one designed by clever …

A. retailers;

B. wholesalers;

C. manufacturers;

 

9. Most people will … anything past the date, regardless of whether it still might be good.

A. use;

B. store;

C. discard;

 

10. There is … weight to the argument that perception of the best if used by label makes people regularly replace items they haven’t even used.

A. no;

B. little;

C. some;

 

11. It is more common for people to perceive foods past their date as “…”.

A. safe;

B. bad;

C. flat;

 

12. Investigations … a mass conspiracy on the part of food manufacturers to create freshness dating in order to provoke more sales.

A. refute;

B. prove;

C. do not indicate;

 

13. Freshness dating … tend to benefit food manufacturers.

A. has;

B. does;

C. does not;

 

14. There is … difference between the best if used by date and use by dates.

A. a significant;

B. a little;

C. no;

15. Use by is a …

A. quality indicator;

B. freshness indicator;

C. recommendation as to food safety;

16. Any foods that have a specific use by date should be … after the date.

A. sold;

B. stored;

C. discarded;

 

17. If you freeze the foods, … the use by date, their quality will remain consistent.

A. after;

B. before;

C. the day of;

 

18. If you’ve stored your food properly, the best if used by date can be a guarantee that food …

A. is safe;

B. has spoiled;

C. remains at peak quality;

 

19. Returning food that is not in best condition prior to the best if used by date is …

A. neither acceptable, nor reasonable;

B. either acceptable, or reasonable;

C. both acceptable and reasonable;

Task 17. Match items in column A with their synonyms in column B.

 

A	B
1.to go bad, to spoil	a)to yield;
2.suggestion	b)to argue;
3.to increase	c)to create;
4.to provoke	d)to extend;
5.to contend	e)to discard;
6.to replace	f)to guarantee;
7.to ensure	g)to deteriorate;
8.to design	h)recommendation;

 

Task 18. Using the -un and -in prefixes form the words opposite in meaning to:

 

1.appropriate;	3.acceptable;	5.properly;	7.likely.
2.reasonable;	4.significant;	6.opened;

 

 

Task 19. Match items in column A with their antonyms in column B.

 

A	B
1.to remain consistent	a)unopened;
2.at peak quality	b)natural;
3.artificial	c)unsafe;
4.open	d)fizzy;
5.safe	e)not in best condition;
6.flat	f)to deteriorate;

 

Task 20. Translate into English.

 

1. Напис на упаковці продуктів “Краще вжити до...”, за яким слідує дата, вказує на те, як довго залишатиметься незмінною якість продукту. 2. Не передбачається, що харчовий продукт стає небезпечним після дати “Краще вжити до...”. Цей напис стосується якості продукту за ідеальних і належних умов зберігання. 3. Слід зазначити, що більшість дат, до яких краще вжити продукт, залишаються доречними, допоки продукт залишається нерозкритим. 4. Строк збереження товарної якості розпакованої продукції набагато менший, і псується вона швидше. 5. Навіть на банках дієтичної коли вказано дату, до якої її краще вжити. 6. Дехто заявляє, що вказівка на упаковці продукції дати, до якої її найкраще вжити, придумана розумними виробниками, які прагнуть збільшити обсяги продажу. 7. Люди схильні позбуватися навіть якісної продукції після дати, до якої її найкраще вжити. 8. Є ті, хто стверджує, що вказівка дати, до якої товар краще вжити, змушує покупців позбуватися продуктів, яких вони навіть не використовували. 9. Сприйняття на смак їжі, дата кращого вживання якої ще не збігла, покращується. 10. Не існує доказів колективної змови виробників створити дату свіжості, з тим, аби спонукати більший продаж. 11. Існує істотна різниця між написами “Краще вжити до...” і “Вжити до...”. 12. Напис на упаковці продуктів “Вжити до...” не є показником свіжості, а рекомендацією стосовно безпеки продукції. 13. Будь-який продукт можна вживати до вказаної на упаковці дати “Вжити до...”. 14. Якщо ви належним чином зберігали продукти харчування в межах вказаного на упаковці терміну, то це є гарантією їх найвищої якості. 15. Оскільки виробники харчових продуктів повинні дотримуватися вказаної на упаковці дати кінцевого терміну придатності продукту, доречно й доцільно повертати в магазини товари, які виявилися зіпсованими ще до вказаної дати.

Task 21. Answer the questions.

 

1. What is one of the ways in which food manufacturers can make suggestions about how likely the quality of a product will remain consistent?

2. What dates are usually given on product labels?

3. Is it obligatory for food manufacturers to indicate such dates?

4. What does “Best if used by” or “best by”, followed by a date denote?

5. Is it obligatory for food manufacturers to indicate such dates?

6. The food product is unsafe after the best if used by date, isn’t it?

7. Which date on the product label refers specifically to its quality under ideal and appropriate storage conditions?

8. Till what time do most best if used by dates remain only appropriate? When doesn’t it apply any longer?

9. When does food tend to have a much shorter shelf life and deteriorate more quickly?

10. What usually happens to the opened can of cola even under appropriate storage conditions?

11. Do you agree that the best if used by date has been introduced by clever manufacturers so people will discard anything past the date?

12. What is one thing that ensures people will regularly replace items they haven’t even used?

13. What customers’ perception of the best if used by label was discovered in the course of some investigations?

14. It is more common for people to perceive foods past their date as “bad,” isn’t it?

15. Is there any difference between the best if used by date and use by dates?

16. Is use by label a freshness indicator or a recommendation regarding food safety?

17. How can you extend a product’s life?

18. When can the best if used by date be a guarantee that food should remain at peak quality?

19. What should one do with a pack of stale crackers with a best if used by date that has not passed yet?

20. Why is returning food that is not in best condition prior to a best if used by date acceptable and reasonable?

 

Task 22. Say what you know about:

 

1. Difference between “to produce” and “to manufacture”.

2. Three levels of a product.

3. Information on products.

Task 23. Comment on the following sayings.

 

1. “The product that will not sell without advertising will not sell profitably with advertising.” (Albert Lasker)

2. “If you don’t sell, it’s not the product that’s wrong, it’s you.” (Estee Lauder (1908, American cofounder of a cosmetics company)

3. “Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It comes as a by-product of providing a useful service.” (Henry Ford)

4. “American consumers have no problem with carcinogens, but they will not purchase any product, including floor wax, that has fat in it.” (Dave Barry, American writer and humorist)

5. “Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in it. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for. A product is not quality because it is hard to make and costs a lot of money, as manufacturers typically believe. This is incompetence. Customers pay only for what is of use to them and gives them value. Nothing else constitutes quality.” (Peter F. Drucker, American educator and writer)