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DMD, BBD and UBD
The DMD is the acronym for "Date of Minimum Durability". It is a term found on food packaging to indicate the date until which a product is likely to retain its specific properties, such as quality, taste, texture, etc.
The DMD is also known as the "best before date" (BBD).
The DMD is different from the "use by date" (UBD), which refers to perishable products and indicates the date beyond which their consumption may present health risks.
The best before date is often indicated by the words "Best before" followed by the date. It is important to note that this date is an indication of quality, not an indication of food safety. Even if the Best Before Date has passed, the product is still safe to consume and market in most cases, provided that it has been properly stored and does not show signs of deterioration.
However, it is always advisable to use personal judgement to assess the freshness and safety of food, based on its appearance, smell and texture. If you have any doubts about a product, it is best not to eat it.
How we handle DMD at Satsuki
All of the products we offer on our site have sell by dates. At the time of writing this article, we do not have any products on our online shop that are subject to a DDM.
The DDM of the batch being sold is visible in the product sheet, in the details tab.
We have made the choice to limit as much as possible the throwing away of products that are still consumable. This is of course a waste of money, but above all it is unthinkable to throw away products that are still good and for which a lot of energy has been spent.
Products whose expiry date will soon be reached or slightly exceeded are put on special offer. These products are indicated and visible in the promotions and anti-waste section.
A few things you should know about our products:
Alcohols with an alcohol content of more than 10% (e.g. sake) do not have a DDM. Only the production date is indicated on the packaging.
Sake: It is often said that sake can be kept for one year. In practice, this is not quite true and it is possible to keep sake for longer in a cool dry place, away from light and temperature variations. At Satsuki, we keep our sake in a special section.
Rice: Some Japanese rice references also indicate the date of polishing on the package. In Japan, rice is considered to be at its best quality until 18 to 24 months after the polishing date (not the harvest date).
In general, Japanese products have a relatively short shelf life. We try to favour products with the longest DDMs but in some cases this is not possible. In Japan, the DDMs are often very short. One of the reasons is the hot and humid local climate. In France, our climate is fortunately a little better.
Also be aware that once opened, the MDD is worthless. A product can keep for several years before opening but then be damaged after a few days once opened.