Changing the wording about expiration dates (有效期) on perishable (容易腐坏的) food items could help reduce food waste, according to a new study. “With very few exceptions, the date labels (标签) that are used in the United States are not standardized,” said Brad Rickard, a researcher working on this study. “And they’re not food safety dates; they’re just food quality dates.”
In a survey of consumers, the researchers asked participants to rate, on a 1-5 scale (5 being extremely likely), their likelihood of discarding (丢弃) 15 different food items that were one day past the stated date code (代码) in the first section of the survey, the question included only the expiration date code; the second section repeated this exercise but with both a date code and a date label that included one of 10 different wording variations.
Four of the date label variations followed those that have been widely adopted in the U.S.: “Best if used by”; “Best by”; “Use by”; and “Sell by”. The other six featured a date label and a biosensor, an indication of food quality. Biosensors which detect microorganism growth and change colors accordingly — are popular in some European markets, but are not as common in the U.S.; for the survey, the researchers chose biosensors with the colors green (fresh), blue (less fresh) and purple (past fresh).
Survey results showed an increase in discard intentions with the “Use by” and the “Best if used by date label, implying that foods with these date labels were more often discarded and replaced. Rickard also said the innovation of the biosensor technology impressed the U.S. survey participants, and when it was presented to participants as green, it led to significantly lower discard rates.
One of the unintended consequences of a more uniform approach to date labels, the researchers note, is a potential increase in food waste depending on the wording of the label, as well as an increase in the re-purchasing of perishable items high in protein, fat and cholesterol (胆道醇). “If you tell all food companies to change all their ‘best by’ dates to ‘best if used by’ dates, that might actually increase food waste,” Rickard said.
12. What can be learned about food date labels used in the U.S.?
A.They are subject to uniform standards. |
B.They are designed to reduce food waste. |
C.They suggest the freshness level of a food item. |
D.They indicate whether a food item is safe to consume. |
13. What does paragraph 2 mainly explain about the research?
A.Its significance. | B.Its finding | C.Its goal. | D.Its method. |
14. Which of the following best describes the biosensors used in the survey?
A.They sent a message to consumers when food changed color. |
B.They were able to detect the expiration date of food accurately. |
C.They helped participants decide whether to throw a food item away. |
D.They were used to differentiate European and American markets. |
15. What might happen after a more uniform labeling system is used?
A.Food companies changing their food packaging. | B.Higher sales of some perishable food. |
C.Customers choosing healthier food. | D.A decrease in food waste. |