{"id":1173,"date":"2021-08-16T12:56:25","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T16:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/foodrescuemaine\/?p=1173"},"modified":"2024-08-15T12:41:58","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T16:41:58","slug":"food-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/foodrescuemaine\/2021\/08\/16\/food-date\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Dates: The Real Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhen in doubt, throw it out.\u201d<\/span> <\/b><\/span>For me, this phrase was a commonplace theme in my childhood home. As a kid, it was one of my designated chores to go through the fridge or pantry closet. Every couple of months, I would throw away items that were past their “expiration food date.” This practice is one that has followed me into my own kitchen as well. If the milk carton is a couple of days past its expiration date, it’s safer to just throw it out. The culture of food waste\u00a0 so ingrained in me that I never stopped to question it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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But what if I told you that \u201cexpiration dates\u201d were never intended to be the end all, be all<\/i><\/strong> entity to determine when to toss that milk?<\/strong>
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\n<\/span>According to the FDA, \u201cConsumer uncertainty about the meaning of the dates that appear on the labels of packaged foods is believed to contribute to about 20 percent of food waste in the home.\u201d (U.S.<\/b> Food and Drug Administration: Confused by Date Labels on Packaged Foods?<\/i><\/b><\/a>).<\/b><\/p>\n


\nThere is a common misconception that when your food reaches its \u201cexpiration date,\u201d it is no longer safe to eat. In the United States, with the exception of infant formula<\/strong>, there are no federal laws that regulate date labels<\/strong>. In fact, date labelling is often left to the discretion of <\/span>states, most of which have some requirements regarding what foods need date labels. However, in some cases,\u00a0 date labelling requirements can also be set by the manufacturer (6). <\/span>For this reason, there are multiple phrases used to describe the date at which food loses its original quality, and each of these phrases have slightly different meanings.<\/span><\/p>\n

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These four phrases are, \u201cBest if Used By\/Before\u201d, \u201cSell-By\u201d, \u201cUse-By\u201d, and \u201cFreeze-By\u201d dates. <\/b>Based on data in an October 2019 USDA article entitled, \u201c<\/span>Food Product Dating<\/span><\/a>\u201d(1), there are certain food date label facts that you need to know:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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