Date Labels on U.S. Food Are Not Safety Dates

Many people treat the date on a food package as the day the food goes bad. In the United States that is not what the date means. The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that, except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety and are not required by federal law. The labels are about quality. A “Best if Used By” date tells consumers how long the product will be at its best quality. A “Sell-By” date tells the store how long to display the product. If the date passes during home storage, the agency says, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until spoilage is evident. Infant formula is the exception. Federal regulations require a “Use-By” date on it, and formula should not be used after that date.