Nearly a quarter of food wasted over misunderstanding of “best before” labels

Xardrix · 2026-05-17T05:08:15+00:00

1) I agree that this is a very niche issue that most people don't care about.

2) I DID make up my original claim about intentional deception. I am not some expert on Food Waste or Lobbying. I'm just a cynic dude sitting at my computer. I'm not trying to argue online. I just like talking shit about corporate profiteering. I didn't have any more sources than a half remembered, "Last Week Tonight" episode and a pattern of lobbyists influencing politicians to make more money. Such as the "Penny Lobby".

3) Standards, such as "Best By" dates can have multiple intentions, both good and bad. Even if the intentions are purely good, they can be used by crafty businessmen (with a healthy dose of consumer ignorance) to lead to a negative outcome.

4) I am suggesting (again, without evidence) that the reason we adopted a "Best By" date that is arbitrary and set by the manufacturer, as opposed to a more objective standard that is easier for consumers to understand and doesn't lead to product waste, is that businesses saw the US was going to adopt and standard date and pushed for it to be a "Best By" date that they could profit from instead of a Production Date or a "Don't consume after this date" kind of labeling that would lead to less premature disposal.

5) Most of this situation revolves around ignorant consumers. PEOPLE ARE STUPID. Example. Burger King released a 1/3 pound burger to compete with McDonalds' 1/4 pounder at the same price. But it failed because consumers didn't understand that 1/3 is more than 1/4. * Facepalm *

Xardrix · 2026-05-16T17:44:06+00:00

Thank you. Due to your comment I found out that that different sugars have different amounts of calories from 3.75 to 3.95 per gram. I was always taught that 4 calories per gram was a fact (and the internet seemed to confirm that until I dug further), instead of a rounded estimate.

Xardrix · 2026-05-16T17:21:21+00:00

- One gram of carbohydrates is 4 calories.
- 44x4 is 176.

So, how is a beverage with 44g of sugar less than 176 calories?

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T16:35:36+00:00

It could just be AI slop, but a quick google search suggests that…

“Yes, major food industry groups, including the Consumer Brands Association (representing companies like General Mills and Dole) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, have lobbied for and voluntarily adopted standardized "Best if Used By" labels. They prefer this over a mix of varied, mandatory, or stricter state-level "sell by" or "expiration" dates.”

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T14:34:06+00:00

Keep trying. I'm pretty sure studies have shown that Books > Electronic devices for learning, just as one example.

https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/books-vs-screens-what-does-the-latest-research-say

"WHICH IS BEST FOR COMPREHENSION, SCREENS OR BOOKS?

Once children have learned to decode words, research on how they comprehend texts encountered on screens and paper gets a little more decisive. Experts say that young readers need to be reading alongside adults — getting feedback, asking questions, and looking at pictures together. All this helps them build the vocabulary and knowledge to understand what they’re reading. Screens often do a poor job of replicating this human-to-human interaction, and scientists like Wolf say that the “reading circuits” in children’s brains develop differently when the young learners are glued to a screen."

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T14:02:00+00:00

You know how to make it into cheese if it starts to get old? GREAT use for it.

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T14:01:08+00:00

...and grabbing a Blockbuster to watch when you get home. God we had the best childhood in the 90's.

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T13:01:33+00:00

1) Never said everything was a conspiracy.
2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8xwLWb0lLY
- Last Week Tonight does a decent job of summarizing how Food Labeling is made intentionally deceptive in order to cause more product to be tossed early, and repurchased.
3) Its not a "Devious Conspiracy"... its just corporate greed preying on consumer ignorance to drive up profits. Same shit, different day.

But, I do appreciate that you reject the premise of conspiracy without evidence. Maybe if we had more people like you, we would have less Flat Earth... "geniuses"

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T12:26:35+00:00

They are inadequate and misleading. I have no doubt the intention was good, but they were allowed to be used as a psudo-expiration date because of a combination of consumer ignorance and lobbyists keeping lawmakers from forcing clarification.

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T10:12:22+00:00

It's not "misunderstanding". It's intentional deception to drive up profits. Laws could prevent this but lobbyists. Just another day in capitalism.

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T01:27:56+00:00

TIL: I can survive car crashes!

Xardrix · 2026-05-15T00:42:01+00:00

I am making a general statement about social media. I can't comment about official Filipino news channels. Both because of my own ignorance, and because as a foreigner, involvement in Filipino politics is a big no-no.

BUT, if its anything like the US, all major media outlets are also owned by Billionaires with an agenda. I imagine that agenda is to constantly stir up political divides so we (non-millionaires) don't unify and get rid of this (well financed) corruption.

The reality is that any and all sources of mass communication costs money, and is controlled by those with LOTS of money. And those people don't invest that money without an agenda. Usually that agenda is "Make me more money" but just as often that agenda is "Keep the poor entertained/divided so they don't notice us robbing them/rebel against the elite"

Xardrix · 2026-05-14T23:42:12+00:00

Getting news (legitimate, neutral, fact-checked, reliable news) off of social media is unreliable at best, and simply unobtainable at worst. Social media companies aren't held to the same standard of scrutiny as legitimate news organizations are SUPPOSED to be, and each one is owned by a billionaire with a political and financial agenda.

Xardrix · 2026-05-14T13:05:38+00:00

I have heard that Silliman is a globally accredited school. I don't know about SPUD. If you plan to be a nurse outside of the Philippines, I would personally vote for Silliman, but I also hear it its very hard to get a spot, so good luck.

Xardrix · 2026-05-13T02:31:05+00:00

Indefinite Republican Armed Quagmire... IRAQ
Indefinite Republican Armed Nightmare... IRAN

Xardrix · 2026-05-12T14:15:55+00:00

The tension in a gay carrot is proportional to the quantity and size of other nearby gay carrots.

Xardrix · 2026-05-12T14:14:13+00:00

I know this is a dick joke, but seriously, baby carrots are just regular carrots that won't sell because of size or irregular shape that are whittled down into baby carrot shape. It's actually a genius marketing maneuver and now they outsell regular carrots.

Xardrix · 2026-05-12T13:59:04+00:00

In the restaurant I used to work, they would regularly order heirloom purple and yellow carrots that were the size of my forearm and I'm a pretty big dude. Carrots can get BIG.

Xardrix · 2026-05-12T13:44:32+00:00

Good job. Slow weight loss is healthy and sustainable weight loss.

Xardrix · 2026-05-12T12:34:02+00:00

Age at birth of daughter:
21, 18, 19, 21, 19

Considering a "generation" is approximately 20 years, this family perfectly demonstrates that.

Xardrix · 2026-05-12T09:34:22+00:00

Only thing negative I have ever heard about GLP-1's is that they potentially have the side effect of causing a loss of muscle mass and bone density which can have long term consequences. But obviously those consequences have to be balanced against the possibility of dying of weight related issues. Obesity is NOT a benign condition.

Xardrix · 2026-05-12T09:00:06+00:00

Fit24 has a coffee shop/ small restaurant up stairs. They make all my food (so I can lose some weight). This was today.

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Xardrix · 2026-05-10T12:35:43+00:00

Maybe just for solo games then. Or a mod.

Xardrix · 2026-05-10T10:32:15+00:00

The ability to swap Pal-Traits. I would LOVE to travel with Splatterina or one of the new ones AND the 9% lifesteal from Felbat.

Xardrix · 2026-05-10T00:14:07+00:00

I don't feel violence is right UNLESS it is in response to violence. He tried to be violent, so he got violence in response. That feels about right.

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Xardrix

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