Isabella Gafanha

Scientists say you've been throwing away perfectly good meat because of one common mistake

Scientists are rethinking the dates consumers see on food packaging — and their research could help reduce not only food waste but also economic losses and environmental impacts tied to discarded food. "The average American wastes more than 1,000 pounds of food each year," according to Auburn University researchers. Part of the reason is that sell-by dates are overly conservative, the researchers said in a news release announcing their work to predict spoilage more accurately.