Food Product Dating
“Sell by Feb 14” is an example of a date you may find on meat or poultry products. But are these dates mandatory on food products? Does it mean the product is unsafe to use after the date? Below is an explanation to answer these and other related questions about product dating.
What is Dating?
“Open dating” refers to the use of a calendar date printed on food packaging to guide stores on how long to display a product for sale. This is not a safety date. After the date passes, while the product may not be at its best quality, it can still be safe if properly handled and stored at or below 40°F (4.4°C) for the recommended time.
What Types of Food Are Dated?
Open dating is typically found on perishable items like meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. “Closed” or “coded” dates are often used on shelf-stable foods, such as canned goods or boxed products.
Safety After the Date Expires
Except for “use-by” dates, product dates typically do not reflect safety but are related to product quality. “Use-by” dates usually refer to the product’s peak quality, not its safety. Even if a product has passed its “sell-by” date during shipping, it can still be safe and good quality as long as it has been handled properly.
However, food can develop an off odor, flavor, or appearance due to bacterial spoilage. If these signs are present, the product should not be used for quality reasons. Mishandling, such as leaving food out for several hours or thawing at room temperature for too long, can lead to bacterial growth and potential foodborne illness. Always follow handling and storage instructions on the label to maintain safety and quality.
Types of Dates
• Sell-By Date: This tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should purchase the product before the date expires.
• Best if Used By (or Before) Date: This date indicates when the product will be at its best quality, but it is not a safety or purchase date.
• Use-By Date: The manufacturer’s recommendation for the last day the product should be used while it is at its best quality.
• Closed or Coded Dates: These are internal packing codes used by manufacturers for inventory purposes and are not intended for consumers.
Once a perishable product is frozen, the date becomes irrelevant because frozen foods remain safe indefinitely as long as they stay frozen.
Dates on Egg Cartons
Federal regulations do not require a “Sell-By” or “Expiration” (EXP) date on egg cartons, though state laws may have specific requirements. Some states prohibit the use of “sell-by” dates.
Egg cartons that feature the USDA grade shield must display the “packing date,” which shows the day the eggs were washed, graded, and packed into the carton. This packing date is a three-digit code, where “001” represents January 1, and “365” represents December 31.
For optimal quality, eggs should be used within 3 to 5 weeks of purchase. The “sell-by” date will typically expire within this time, but the eggs remain safe to use.
How to Read a Date Code
As of 2010, the U.S. does not have a standardized system for coding expiration dates, according to the USDA. Dating is voluntary, with open dating using calendar dates and closed dating being a system used by manufacturers for inventory purposes. Closed codes are primarily used on products with longer shelf lives, but these are not meant for consumer interpretation.
Methods to Determine Expiration Date
Locate the code on the product packaging. This code, often stamped on the top or bottom of a can, can appear as a number like “2061” or “0195.” The interpretation of these codes can vary depending on the manufacturer. Some codes use numbers to represent months, where “1” through “9” represent January through September, and the letter “O” represents October, “N” for November, and so on.
• Example: A code like “2061” would indicate February (2), the 6th day of the month, and the year might be implied by additional numbers.
• Julian Dates: These represent the number of days since the beginning of the current year. For example, a code of “0195” would indicate the 195th day of the year, which is July 14 in a non-leap year.
Understanding these coding methods helps ensure you can interpret product expiration dates correctly.