People are being encouraged to bin perfectly good food because of potentially misleading "use by dates" according to the Government resources group Wrap.

Some producers are blamed for replacing best before labels with use by dates on food packs, especially yoghurts, cheese and bread.

The Telegraph newspaper reports that according to the Food Standards Agency and Wrap, products should only carry use by dates where there is a food safety risk if it is left for too long.

Otherwise the use by dates can wrongly give people the impression that perfectly edible food is not fit to eat, therefore encouraging them to needlessly throw it away.

The Telegraph says Wrap will now conduct a formal review of products which may be needlessly carrying a use by date and will ask manufacturers to change date marks which are found to be inappropriate.

The report finds that around 350,000 tonnes of avoidable food waste a year, which comes at a £1 billion to consumers, could be prevented through "technical" changes such as changing labels.

Dr Andrew Parry, special adviser at Wrap, said it was not clear why some manufacturers were moving to use by dates despite guidance telling them not to.

He said: "Getting this right could save consumers a lot of money which is why we are telling the industry that if there isn't a food safety risk they should not print use by dates on packs. We have already been talking to the UK dairy industry and the juice industry, and good progress has already been made."

Heather Hancock, chairman of the Food Standards Agency said: "The FSA is working closely with Wrap on updating the guidance on the application of on pack dates and related storage advice. I believe it is important that information available on pack not only helps to ensure people have safe food, but that it makes it as easy as possible for them to manage and store their food to ensure less is wasted."

Readers' comments:

Mike Lawrence: We don't need to change just the labels, we need to make sure those in the kitchen have the same talents that seemed to be around everywhere a few years ago.

There might well be a few exceptions, but the vast majority of food we eat will clearly indicate that it is 'going off' by the colour, smell, texture, hardness and other physical characteristics.

With most foods that does not happen overnight, so a date is not really the best definer. It's a gradual change as it becomes more 'off'/ less palatable before it becomes nauseatingly unpleasant or shocking.

Judgement should long before have put it in the bin.

People are now abdicating from their responsibilities to themselves and their family and that's how the 'nanny-state' wins.