Food safety

Best before is often written on food wrappers, followed by a date, and is intended to indicate the date before which the supplier intended the food should be consumed. The term use by is similarly used to indicate the date by which the item will have outlived its shelf life, and is intended to ensure that customers will not unwittingly purchase or eat stale food. Sometimes the packaging process involves using pre-printed labels, making it impractical to write the best before date in a clearly visible location. In this case, a term like best before see bottom or best before see lid might be printed on the label and the date marked in a different location as indicated. Best before"

The Codex Alimentarius (Latin = “food law” or “food code”) is controversial project organized to promote international standardization of food safety and for the stated purpose of consumer protection. Officially, it is maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a body established jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the years 1961- 1962 to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the international food trade. The Codex Alimentarius is recognized by the World Trade Organization as an international reference point for the resolution of disputes concerning food safety and consumer protection. Codex Alimentarius"

The Codex Alimentarius Austriacus was first established in 1891 with the work of the Austrian trade commission of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire as a collection of standards and descriptions for a wide variety of foods and food products. Codex Alimentarius Austriacus"

The temperature range in which foodborne bacteria can grow is known as the danger zone. This is typically considered to be between 40°F (4.4°C) and 140°F (60°C), though often 45°F (7.2°C) is considered the lower temperature of the range. Potentially hazardous food should not be stored at temperatures in this range in order to prevent foodborne illness. Danger zone"

A downer cow is a live cow that cannot walk. This state can be caused by disease or injury. In nearly all cases it is considered by most farmers to be both humane and cost-effective to slaughter the animal when it becomes a downer, rather than keeping it alive and unhealthy. Downer cow"

The five-second rule is a popular North American old wives' tale. The rule states that foods—particularly sweet foods like cookies—that have fallen to the ground will not contract any germs until five seconds have passed. The rule provides a convenient rationale for eating food off the floor, and is usually invoked when a group of people are present (as a polite fiction). Thus, for example, a person might drop a jelly bean, pick it up quickly, tell his friends "it's within five seconds" and then eat the candy. Five-second rule"