Product Expiration Date Code

Use-by dates are contributing to millions of pounds of wasted food each year.

A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic says Americans are prematurely throwing out food, largely because of confusion over what expiration dates actually mean.

Most consumers mistakenly believe that expiration dates on food indicate how safe the food is to consume, when these dates actually aren’t related to the risk of food poisoning or foodborne illness. Food dating emerged in the 1970s, prompted by consumer demand as Americans produced less of their own food but still demanded information about how it was made. The dates solely indicate freshness, and are used by manufacturers to convey when the product is at its peak. That means the food does not expire in the sense of becoming inedible. For un-refrigerated foods, there may be no difference in taste or quality, and expired foods won’t necessarily make people sick.

But according to the new analysis, words like “use by” and “sell by” are used so inconsistently that they contribute to widespread misinterpretation — and waste — by consumers. More than 90% of Americans throw out food prematurely, and 40% of the U.S. food supply is tossed–unused–every year because of food dating.

(MORE: Food Safety: CDC Report Shows Rates of Foodborne Illnesses Remain Largely Unchanged)

Eggs, for example, can be consumed three to five weeks after purchase, even though the “use by” date is much earlier. A box of mac-and-cheese stamped with a ‘use by’ date of March 2013 can still be enjoyed on March 2014, most likely with no noticeable changes in quality.

“We are fine with there being quality or freshness dates as long as it is clearly communicated to consumers, and they are educated about what that means,” says study co- author Emily Broad Leib, the director of Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic. “There should be a standard date and wording that is used. This is about quality, not safety. You can make your own decision about whether a food still has an edible quality that’s acceptable to you.”

(MORE:Is It Worth Buying Organic? Maybe Not)

Because food dating was never about public health, there is no national regulation over the use of the dates, although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) technically have regulatory power over the misbranding of products. The only federally required and regulated food dating involves infant formula, since the nutrients in formula lose their potency as time goes on.

What regulation does exist occurs at the state level — and all but nine states in the U.S. have food dating rules but these vary widely. “What’s resulted from [the FDA letting states come up with regulation] is really a patchwork of all sorts of different rules for different products and regulations around them,” says study co-author Dana Gunders, a staff scientist with the NRDC’s food and agriculture program. “Sometimes a product needs a date, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes a product cannot be sold after a different date. Or there is no requirement at all. Even with different categories there is so much variability.” The result is a confused public — and tons of wasted food.

(MORE:Bad Food: Illnesses from Imported Foods Are on the Rise, CDC Says)

Correcting these entrenched misconceptions, however, won’t be easy. The report authors say the re-education could start with a clearer understanding of what the dates mean.

• “Use by” and “Best by”: These dates are intended for consumer use, but are typically the date the manufacturer deems the product reaches peak freshness. It’s not a date to indicate spoilage, nor does it necessarily signal that the food is no longer safe to eat.
• “Sell by”: This date is only intended to help manufacturers and retailers, not consumers. It’s a stocking and marketing tool provided by food makers to ensure proper turnover of the products in the store so they still have a long shelf life after consumers buy them. Consumers, however, are misinterpreting it as a date to guide their buying decisions. The report authors say that “sell by” dates should be made invisible to the consumer.

Jena Roberts, vice president for business development at the food testing firm, National Food Lab, studies “shelf-stable” properties of foods to help manufacturers determine what date indicates when their products are at their best. “The food has to be safe, that’s a given,” says Roberts. “[The manufacturers] want to make sure the consumer eats and tastes a high quality product.”

But she acknowledges that even if the food is consumed after its ideal quality date, it’s not harmful. A strawberry-flavored beverage may lose its red color, the oats in a granola bar may lose its crunch, or the chocolate clusters in a cereal may start to ‘bloom’ and turn white. While it may not look appetizing, the food is still safe to eat. “It’s a confusing subject, the difference between food quality and food safety. Even in the food industry I have colleagues who are not microbiologists who get confused,” she says.

(MORE:How to Stop the Superbugs)

The report authors aren’t against food date labeling. The system was created to provide more information to consumers, but it’s important that people know how to use that data. “The interest is still there on the part of the consumers, but we want this to be clearly communicated so consumers are not misinterpreting the data and contributing to a bunch of waste,” says Gunders.

While the food industry could make changes to date labels voluntarily — such as having the dates read when food is most likely to spoil — the study authors also call for legislation by Congress to develop national standards that would standardize a single set of dating requirements.

Such standards may already be in the works; following the release of the report, Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland), the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee and author of the Freshness Disclosure Act says she will be reintroducing legislation to Congress that calls for establishing a consistent food dating system in the U.S.

“I look forward to reintroducing this legislation this Congress and working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fix this glaring gap in our nation’s food safety laws so that American consumers have the information they need,” Lowey said in a statement.

You can read the full report and recommendations, here.

In the meantime, for tips on what expiration dates really mean, see our examples, here.

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Expiration Date Glossary - Real Simple

A Guide to Food Expiration Terms ... “Use by” date: When an item will pass its peak in quality, according to the manufacturer. If stored properly, most foods can be consumed a day after this date―some even longer. ... Real Simple may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email on this website. Offers may be ...

Date Code Decoder - DSC

DSC Date-of-Manufacture Identification Page The date-of-manufacture of DSC products varies by product type. There are 4 distinct methods used to date-code DSC products. Use the example pictures listed to identify the date code of the product you have (every product has at least 1 of the 4 examples listed).

Understanding How to Read Food Expiration Date Codes ...

To read food expiration date codes, learn the different types of dates used for expiration codes. Determine if the code is using letters for months, the Julian calendar or a month-day-year code. In the United States there is no standard system for dating food, according to the Department of Agriculture.

How to Read a Date Code LEAFtv

How to Read a Date Code For consumers, the date indicates freshness or quality. Use both the date itself and the phrase in front of the date, such as 'use by' or 'best by' to make your decision on which milk carton or cookie package to choose.

Decoding Dates and Numbers on Packaged Foods – The SHOP ...

Decoding Dates and Numbers on Packaged Foods. Photo from: TheFamilyGP.com ... Should I be concerned about other product codes? ... Tags best before, best if used by, boxed food, canned food, expiration date, food storage, lot code, packaged food, sell by, shelf life, use before, use by Post navigation.

Cheat Sheet for Sketchy Food Expiration 'Codes' - Consumerist

Check your browser settings or contact your network administrator. Cheat Sheet for Sketchy Food Expiration 'Codes' ... Expiration & Sell-By Labels With “Best If Used By” Date; Expiration Daze

How to Read Food Expiration Date Codes Livestrong.com

How to Read Food Expiration Date Codes Gail Sessoms The U.S. does not have a uniform system of coding expiration dates on food products as of 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. ... Contact manufacturers for specific coding information or access online information at the manufacturer’s website. ... Decoding Food Product ...

How to Decode the Mysteries of Food Expiration Dates and ...

How to Decode the Mysteries of Food Expiration Dates and Lot Code Numbers ... lot codes and/or expiration dates on their products. There are two types of codes: ... to an expiration date similar ...

What Are Those Cryptic Codes on Beauty Products? Allure

By now, we all know the rough guidelines for how long beauty products last: Lipsticks are good for three years; acne fighters for four months, max. And you've probably heard the tips about marking ...

Closed Dating Codes Used By Some Food Manufacturers

Closed Dating Codes Used By Some Food Manufacturers In spite of the fact that increasing numbers of food processing companies are moving to open dating it is not yet universal. For those products that do not come with a plain 'best used by' date it is still possible, albeit with much more difficulty, to determine the rotation period for that ...

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