San Francisco: If you routinely throw away milk, yoghurt or other food products as soon as the date on the package passes, experts say you may be discarding perfectly edible food.Food date labels often create confusion among consumers, leading many people to throw away products that remain safe to eat. According to food safety experts, most date labels are intended to indicate quality and freshness rather than food safety.Terms such as "Best Before", "Best By", "Best If Used By", "Enjoy By" and "Sell By" can vary between manufacturers and jurisdictions, making them difficult for consumers to interpret.Quality versus safetyDonald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University, said date labels generally indicate when the manufacturer believes the product will be at its best quality.“The date labels guarantee quality up until that point,” Schaffner said. “They are not about the safety of a product.”Researchers have identified more than 50 different date-label formats used across the United States, contributing to widespread confusion among consumers.A 2019 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that more than 80% of consumers discard food approaching the package date at least occasionally.Which foods last longer?Experts say many shelf-stable products can remain safe long after the date printed on their packaging.These include:Unopened canned fruits and vegetablesCanned beans and tomatoesShelf-stable milk alternatives such as soy and almond milkDry foods including cereal, crackers and biscuitsRachel Zemser, a food scientist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, said low-moisture foods generally have long shelf lives because bacteria struggle to grow in dry environments.“People can use their best judgment by smelling and tasting the product because dry crackers and cookies may be stale, but they are not going to make you sick if you eat them,” she said.Take extra care with meat and fishExperts caution that products such as beef, poultry and seafood require greater attention.These foods can spoil even when refrigerated and should be handled carefully. Freezing them before the recommended date can help extend their shelf life.“Most bacteria need moisture and air to grow and thrive, so very dry products will last, but I wouldn't risk it with meat,” Zemser said.California introduces standardised labelsIn an effort to reduce confusion and food waste, California has introduced a new law requiring food manufacturers to use only two standard labels:"Best If Used By" — indicating peak quality"Use By" — indicating safetyThe law also eliminates "Sell By" dates from consumer-facing labels. Those dates are primarily used by retailers for inventory management rather than consumer safety.New York lawmakers have also passed similar legislation, which is awaiting final approval.One major exceptionThe only food product required under US federal law to carry a true expiration date is infant formula.Experts say infant formula should not be used after the expiration date because its nutritional content declines over time and it may no longer provide the nutrients infants need.Use common senseFood safety specialists recommend relying on sight, smell and taste when assessing food quality.Signs that food should be discarded include:Visible mouldUnusual odoursDiscolourationChanges in textureSchaffner also advises consumers to buy realistic quantities and rotate food stocks regularly.“Practice your own food stock rotation, buy appropriate amounts of food, don't buy giant amounts that you won't be able to eat,” he said.The guidance comes as governments and food industry groups increasingly focus on reducing food waste, much of which is attributed to misunderstandings about food date labels.
