Questions about “Sell by” dates?

Are you confused by “Use By” or “Sell by” dates on food? Don’t be.

The U.S.A. Food & Drug Administration and Inspection Service (FSIS) estimates that between the food industry and consumers, Americans are throwing away about one-third of our food each year at the cost of $161 billion.

According to the USDA, “Consumer uncertainty about the meaning of the dates that appear on the labels of package foods is believed to contribute to about 20 percent of food waste in the home. That’s not surprising when you consider the variety of terms used with date labels, such as “use before,” “sell by,” “expires on,” and many more.”

To help the consumer, the FSIS has broken down what they mean.

*Best if used by/before: This indicates how long a product will have the best flavor or quality. It doesn’t relate to safety or purchase date.

*Sell by: This informs the store how long it can offer the product for sale for inventory management. Again, it is not related to safety.

*Freeze by: This date refers to the length of time a product should be frozen to remain premium quality. Again, it does not relate to the safety of the purchase.

FIFIS says food products (apart from infant formula) should still be safe to consume past these dates if they are correctly handled and if no spoilage is evident.

*Use by: This is the last date recommended the product should be used as peak quality. It only relates to safety when used for infant formula.

The one exception is infant formula products. These products have a “Use by” date, which the manufacturers have confirmed means that the product contains no less than a minimum amount of each nutrient on the product label, and that product will be of acceptable quality.

So, what is a consumer to do? The FSIS says the best way to determine whether food is bad is to use your senses rather than the printed date. If you notice signs of spoilage, mold, odd odor, or different than expected texture when looking at the food, do not eat the food.

The USDA also offers four food safety guidelines.

Clean—Wash hands and surfaces often.

Separate—Don’t cross-contaminate.

Cook—Cook to proper temperatures, checking with a food thermometer.

Chill— Refrigerate promptly.

Remember, use caution and be safe. But being safe doesn’t mean waste.