Jessica Hardiman, Food System and Safety Agent
“Best if Used By”, “Sell-By”, “Use-By” …what is the difference between these phrases, and do you have to throw away all those forgotten products in the back of your pantry?
Food manufacturers put these dates on packages to let retailers and consumers know when food is at its best quality. These are not required by law and are not indicators of the food products’ safety (excluding infant formula). Also, there is no uniform or universally used date-labeling phrase in the United States. Some of the more common ones will be explained below.
- “Best if Used By/Before” date indicates when a product will be at its best flavor and/or quality
- “Sell-By” date indicates how long the store should keep the product on the shelves for inventory purposes
- “Use-By” date is the latest date recommended for the use of the product at its peak quality. It is not a safety date except when used on infant formula.
- “Freeze-By” date indicates when a product should be frozen to preserve its peak quality.
- “Guaranteed Fresh” dates are often used for baked goods that may perish. Beyond this specific date, freshness is no longer guaranteed, and the quality will decline, although it may still be safe to eat.
On the other hand, expiration dates are not set in stone. If you have a food product past its expiration date, it is not recommended to consume it due to food safety and quality concerns.
Consumers may discard food because they believe that going past these dates results in unsafe food rather than simply a decline in the food product’s quality. Understanding the meaning behind these labeling dates can help reduce food waste.
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