Food labels such as ‘sell by,’ ‘use by,’ and ‘best by’ have long been confused for expiration dates on grocery products, leading consumers to prematurely throw away perfectly safe and nutritious foods. The Food Safety and Inspection Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, estimates that 30% of the food supply that goes to waste annually is largely due to a label misunderstanding.
What Do the Labels Mean?
Product dates are not a guide for safe consumption. The varying phrases ‘best by’ or ‘sell by’ are actually a quality issue. Manufacturers use the date as a guideline for when to consume a product while it is still at its best.
Consumers get confused and they just default to assuming that whatever date is on the package means ‘don’t eat it and throw it away,’ said Kumar Chandran, policy director at ReFED, a nonprofit focused on reducing food waste.
State-Level Action
California became the first state in the U.S. to standardize food labels. Manufacturers selling food in California must use a ‘best if used by’ label for peak quality and ‘use by’ label for product safety. New York state lawmakers recently approved a similar law that’s awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.
These labels are not regulated by the federal government, with the exception of infant formula and baby foods. The USDA recommended a decade ago that food sellers switch ‘best if used by’ for freshness and ‘use by’ for product safety to lessen confusion.
Guidance for Consumers
Labels with phrases like ‘best if used by,’ ‘enjoy by,’ and ‘fresh through’ indicate when a product will have the best flavor or quality. It is not an expiration date. The product can still be consumed after this date, but it may no longer meet the company’s standard for freshness.
The ‘sell-by’ date tells the store how long it can display the food for sale and is useful for inventory management. Much like the ‘best by’ date, it is not related to food safety and does not mean the food is spoiled.
Milk is generally good for at least five to seven days after its ‘sell-by’ date, though exactly how long will depend on factors including proper storage in the refrigerator and pasteurization methods.
Ground meat and poultry should be cooked or frozen one to two days past the purchase date. Eggs can stay good for up to three to five weeks past the ‘sell by’ date if stored properly in a refrigerator.
When in doubt, the best test is the smell and look test. If it smells bad and has mold growing, toss it. And never taste food to determine if it’s still good, the FSIS warns.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
