Will this make me ill? Here’s what to know about food expiration dates

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The different types of expiration dates on meat, poultry, egg and dairy products sometimes create confusion.

Some have a “sell-by” date.

Others come with a “use-by” date.

Still others bear a “best-if-used-by” date.

The decision on which type of date to use lies with the manufacturer, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

If used, expiration dates must be ‘not misleading’

Except for baby formula, product dating is not required by federal regulations, according to the USDA website.

“For meat, poultry and egg products under the jurisdiction of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), dates may be voluntarily applied provided they are labeled in a manner that is truthful, not misleading and in compliance with FSIS regulations,” that site said.

If a label is used, it said, the federal government requires that label to be immediately adjacent to the expiration date and to display “a phrase explaining the meaning of that date such as ‘Best-if-Used-By.’”

Are the dates aimed at letting me know if the food will make me ill?

Manufacturers provide dating to help consumers and retailers decide when food products are of best quality, the USDA website said.

Except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of a product’s safety, it said.

“The quality of perishable products may deteriorate after the date passes; however, such products should still be safe if handled properly,” the site said.

It indicated that if food looks and smells good, it’s probably safe to eat.

“Consumers must evaluate the quality of the product prior to its consumption to determine if the product shows signs of spoilage,” the site said.

What do the date-labeling phrases mean?

The USDA website identified four commonly used expiration date labeling phrases as being:

• “Best-if-Used-Before” date, which says when a product will be of best flavor or quality.
• “Sell-By” date, which tells the store how long to display the product for sale.
• “Use-By” date, which is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality.
• “Freeze-By” date, which says when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality.

None of the four are safety dates, except for baby formula.

Do people sometimes throw out food before they need to?

While the odor of a carton of milk will usually reveal if it’s gone bad, making that type of determination can be more difficult with other types of beverages and food.

Consumers consequently often choose — rather than risking food poisoning — to throw out items that are still safe but past their expiration date, the USDA said.

The USDA estimates 30% of the food supply is lost or wasted, in part because of consumers or retailers “throwing away wholesome food because of confusion about the meaning of dates displayed on the label,” its website said.

To reduce consumer confusion and wasted food, FSIS recommends food manufacturers and retailers apply product dating use a “Best-if-Used-By” date, it said.

“Research shows that this phrase conveys to consumers that the product will be of best quality if used by the calendar date shown,” the USDA website said. “Foods not exhibiting signs of spoilage should be wholesome and may be sold, purchased, donated and consumed beyond the labeled ‘Best-if-Used-By’ date.”

How long will food remain good after the ‘sell by’ date?

The length of time that food will remain good past the expiration date depends on what it is and how it was handled, according to eatingwell.com.

“For ‘Sell-by’ dates that go past at home, you can continue to store the food for a short amount of time depending on what it is,” it said. “Some common products are ground meat and poultry (1 to 2 days past the date), beef (3 to 5 days past the date), eggs (3 to 5 weeks past the date).”

Otherwise, eatingwell.com recommended consumers keep items in their original packaging to keep track of the expiration dates or maintain a good labeling system that will enable them to keep track.

What if I have food safety questions?

To help the public answer food safety questions, the USDA maintains a “meat and poultry hotline,” which can be reached by calling 1-888-674-6854.

The hotline is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST Monday through Friday.

Food safety questions may also be emailed to the USDA at [email protected].

Contact Tim Hrenchir at [email protected] or 785-213-5934..