What’s the truth about “best before” dates? We’ve all had that moment when you reach into the fridge for the container of yogurt, jar of pizza sauce or bottle of mustard and notice that the “best before” date on the package has passed. Does this mean that you need to toss it into the garbage? No, not necessarily. Best before dates appear on most food products that have a durable life of 90 days or less. There are some exceptions, including fruits and vegetables. You should be aware that there is a key difference between a “best before” date and an “expiration date.” Simply put, a best before date indicates the time frame during which a product will be at its tastiest and freshest. After that date, the product may still be edible, but might not look or taste quite as good. By contrast, an expiration date is the last day on which something can safely be consumed. Expiration dates only appear on a small number of products, including infant formula and meal replacements. It’s important to note that best before dates only apply to products that have been stored properly, such as refrigerating dairy products and avoiding extreme temperatures for pantry items. Other products, such as canned goods or dried pasta, may also have best before dates, but those are not actually required and they’re usually a year or more out from the packaging date. An unopened container of yogurt might be safe to eat days or even weeks after the best before date if it has been properly refrigerated. But a month or longer after that date, maybe not. When you do open the package, look for signs such as a funky smell or the presence of mould. By doing this (instead of immediately tossing the product out), you can help reduce food waste. Find more information about food safety at inspection.canada.ca. www.newscanada.com Snowbird Alert Source: www.newscanada.com Protect yourself from debit and credit card fraud In the past year, Canadians have lost millions of dollars to fraud and scams. When it comes to debit and credit card fraud, scammers are finding new ways to steal personal and financial information, so it’s important to know your rights and responsibilities, and how to protect yourself. Card issuers such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Interac are bound to help protect you against financial loss if someone uses your credit or debit card without your permission. However, you also have responsibilities when it comes to protecting yourself against fraud. For example, it’s your responsibility to keep your account information and PIN safe. You must also notify your card issuer right away if you notice unauthorized transactions on your account and, if you lost money, they’ll usually reimburse you in full. Generally, these conditions are similar across all card issuers. Contact your card company or check your credit or debit card agreement to verify the terms and conditions. Banks must always fully investigate a transaction that you dispute. How to protect yourself Here are a few smart steps to keep in mind: ▶ When shopping online, look for websites with addresses starting with “https” or ones that have a padlock image in the address bar. ▶ Never share your debit or credit card number or your PIN with another person, not even a family member or partner. ▶ Choose a PIN that is difficult to guess and change it often. ▶ Keep a list of the cards that you carry in a safe place, along with the phone numbers to call if any of your cards are lost or stolen. If you think that you were a victim of fraud, you should report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. You should also contact your local police, your bank and the two credit reporting agencies, Equifax and TransUnion, to put a fraud alert on your credit report. Learn more at canada.ca/money. 6 | www.snowbirds.org
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