NOW PLAYING
(NEXSTAR) – Starting next month, foods sold in California will no longer have a confusing food label printed on them, thanks to a new state law. Outside of the Golden State, however, you may still find yourself just as confused staring at your food packaging.
We’ve got you covered.
Dates printed on the lid, label, or packaging of different foods can mean different things. In most cases, you will see the date printed with the text “Best If Used By” or “Best By.”
This is not the same as an expiration date, and the confusion causes billions of dollars’ worth of food to be mistakenly thrown out, according to the FDA. (It’s worth noting that the FDA only requires a “use by” date on infant formula.)
The date is, instead, more like guidance for “how fast to consume [the] food before the quality deteriorates,” Abby Snyder, an associate professor of food science at the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, previously told Nexstar.
“It doesn’t mean that the product is necessarily ‘bad’ or going to make you sick,” said Andy Hirneisen, a senior extension educator and leader of Penn State Extension’s Retail and Consumer Food Safety Team. “It’s just that the quality is going to suffer after that.”
That could mean coating your hot dog in a watery, red liquid instead of actual ketchup, for example. Or, your food may taste different due to “spoilage microbes,” but it will not be “unsafe” to eat, Snyder said.
When is food unsafe to eat?
Food that passes its date while in your home “should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until the time spoilage is evident,” the USDA explains. Spoilage signs include “an off-odor, flavor, or texture due to naturally occurring spoilage bacteria.”
The USDA recommends following the storage guidance most manufacturers include on their labeling to delay the growth of bacteria or other impacts to food quality. This could include “keep frozen,” “keep refrigerated,” or “store in a cool, dry place,” for example.
Ultimately, if you grab a jar of peanut butter or a container of yogurt and notice that you’re a day beyond the date label, that doesn’t mean it has to go right in the trash. As the USDA and the FDA explain, you’ll just need to check if the food is still of good quality or whether it has any spoilage bacteria (which is still good advice, even before the date label day).
How California’s new law tackles confusing dates
The new law, Nexstar’s KTLA explains, addresses the various dates that can be found on food labels. Instead of sell by, use by, best by, expires by, and any other version of that, foods sold in California can only be marked with two quality or safety notices:
- Quality dates: “BEST if Used by” or “BEST if Used or Frozen by,” signaling peak freshness or quality of the product.
- Safety dates: “USE by” or “USE by or Freeze by,” denoting when a food is no longer safe to eat.
“Sell by” dates will be prohibited.
Attempts to pass federal policy clarifying the use of dates on food have stalled out in recent years.
Add as preferred source on Google TagsCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments: Link copiedMore Business News
See All
International Oil tankers exit Strait of Hormuz despite Iran threats by Max Rego 2 hours ago International / 2 hours ago 
