Food Expiration Dates Essay

[OS] Food Expedition Dates And What They Really Mean

We are all familiar with food expiration dates, the labeling system that tells you whether food is still fresh and edible. But, expiration dates are not as clear cut as they might first seem and not knowing all the facts might result in perfectly good food being thrown away. One of the things that cause the most misconceptions is the terminology, as many people mistake “best before” or “sell by” dates as expiration dates. In fact, even after the actual expiry date of food, the product could still be perfectly edible.

So, before throwing away all those foods you forgot about in the back of the fridge take a look at some of the information about expiration dates. It could save you a lot

It simply means that the food will have the best quality or flavor before the indicated date.

Sell By Date

The “sell by” date is a guideline for retailers to know how long they can display the product on their shelves. Once again it is not an indication of whether the product is on the verge of spoiling, but instead has to do with the consistency, taste and freshness of the item. This means that the product will still be edible for a period of time after the sell by date.

Use By Date

The “Use By” date once again refers to the last recommended date by which the product will still be at peak quality and is typically determined by the product manufacturer. After the “Use By” date the quality or flavor of the product will start deteriorating, but it will usually still be edible.

There are a couple of other less common terms also found on some products, such as the “Born on” date used for beer and “Guaranteed Fresh” date often used for baked goods. In both cases these terms refers to the freshness and quality of the products and has nothing to do with safety issues, such as foodborne illness or food poisoning. Bear in mind that these labels mean nothing if the food isn’t stored