Expiration Date Confusion

Confusion surrounding expiration date labels leads to increased food waste

By Rachel Kmett on April 18, 2017 Concordia College Nutrition and Dietetics Department

Why are there so many different types of expiration dates? What do they all mean? Do these dates contribute to food waste? These were some of the questions that I had before researching the impact confusion about expiration date labels had on the amount of food waste we generate in America. While there are many reasons for why food waste has become such a problem, there are also several places in the food system where waste is generated.

The food waste issue

Food waste has resulted in 40% of the food produced in the United States being wasted on the road from farm to fork. Wasted food has a large impact on out environment because food that decomposes in landfills produces methane, which is one of the greenhouse gases building up in the atmosphere.

Additionally, all of the resources that go into producing this wasted food are also wasted as a result. This means resources such as water, fossil fuels for transportation, agricultural labor, and money are going down the drain. Wasted food impacts us beyond an environmental standpoint, but also in a financial way. Of the wasted food, 21% of that is caused by consumers. The average American family of four absorbs food waste costs of about $1,365-2,275 per year.

One reason consumers waste food is because there is confusion about what expiration dates on products mean. Three of the most common label types include "Use by," "Sell by," and "Best if used by/before." Labeling products with these expiration date labels is done voluntarily by manufacturers. Expiration dates are not necessarily a statement about the food's safety but refer to the length of time the food will retain good quality.

Sell by date:

Determined by food manufactures. The date by which the food at the retail level should be sold unless it is frozen prior to or upon reaching the date. It is not a safety date.

This date can be especially confusing for consumers. The date by which the food should be sold does not determine when you should actually eat the food by.

Use by date:

Determined by the product manufactures, when the product is at peak quality for consumer consumption. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula.

Best before date:

Dates by which the product should be consumed for ideal quality or flavor. It is not a purchase or safety date.

Many consumers believe that when food reached the date on the product they must throw that item out. But it is important to remember that just because the food item has reached that date it may still be safe to consume.

Overall, you want to use the expiration dates on the food as a guide and to be more cautious about the food after the date but it is not a guarantee of spoilage. I know there has been a time or two when I have had milk spoil in the refrigerator when the use by date was still days away.

Tips to waste less food:

  • Take shopping trips on a more frequent basis and buy fewer items at a time. This might help you use the items you currently have in your house rather than pushing the items to the back of the pantry or refrigerator to later go to waste.
  • Utilize your senses of smell, sight, taste, and touch to determine if the food item is still good.
  • Often times it is possible to extend the shelf life of a product by making sure you are storing the food or beverage properly. For example, milk should not be stored in the door of the refrigerator because of the warm air from opening the door frequently.
  • Don't forget the power of handling food items safely to ensure the food remains safe after purchase. Washing your hands and cooking food to proper temperatures are important factors in food safely.

For more information:

Utilize resources such as the USDA's Kitchen Companion Safe Food Handbook to learn more about food shopping, preparation, storage, and more.



References

United States Department of Agriculture. (2016, December 14). Food Product Dating [fact sheet]. Retrieved from, from https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/food-product-dating/food-product-dating/

Leib, E. B., & Gunders, D. (2013). The dating game: How confusing food date labels lead to food waste in America. (NRDC Report No. 13-09-A). New York, NY: Natural Resources Defense Council and Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic.

Sell by, picture credit: http://healthnutnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/sell-by-date-salmon.jpg

Use by, picture credit: https://thetrashblogdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/use-by-date-eggs.jpg%3Fw%3D800

Best before, picture credit: Leib, E. B., & Gunders, D. 2013.