Judge food by taste not cover.

In so many ways Zurich or Europe is literally half way between India and US. People still know how to use brain and common sense here. I found this conversation on a hike interesting -
x: hey, what are you eating there?
y: Its dried apricot, a bit old, I am not sure if they are good anymore. Maybe I should not eat, that's why I am not offering to others.
x: If it tastes ok, then it should be ok. Let me try.
(x takes a bite and says its good)
z: Let me try too.
(z also declares that its good)
x: hmm, maybe its good. Does anyone else want to try?

At first I was surprised that no one looked at the cover or mentioned expiry date or even asked how old it is! It was all - if food tastes good, then its good.
Of course that is how we treat food in India, but I would have expected it to go like this -
x: hey, what are you eating there?
y: Its dried apricot, a bit old, I am not sure if they are good anymore.
everyone else - freak out! freak out!
x: what! have you checked the expiry date? How old is it? OMG! Don't even touch it if its expired! Throw it in this bin marked "bio hazard". I am not even sure if it can be composted! SEE THE EXPIRY DATE!

I am so glad the conversation went the way it did. I am beginning to feel more and more at home here.