A practical guide to food date labels

Read the words printed with the date

A date by itself gives too little context. USDA FSIS distinguishes open dating, which uses a calendar date for consumers or retailers, from closed coding, which manufacturers use for production information. The code stamped on a can may help trace a lot even though it was never meant as a household discard date.

U.S. packages do not use one universal vocabulary for open dates. Two manufacturers may describe similar quality information with different wording. Keep the complete phrase in an inventory, such as 'Best if Used By' or 'Sell By,' instead of recording only 08/15. Those words explain what the manufacturer intended the date to mean.

• Best if Used By/Before: best flavor or quality
• Sell By: store display and inventory management
• Use By: manufacturer's peak-quality recommendation for most foods
• Freeze By: quality planning for when to freeze

Federal rules and everyday package dates

USDA FSIS states that, except for infant formula, product dating generally is not required by federal regulations and is not itself an indicator of safety. Voluntary dates on meat, poultry, and egg products under FSIS jurisdiction must be truthful and accompanied by wording that explains the date. State requirements can add another layer, particularly for eggs and some dairy products.

Infant formula has a specific rule. FDA requires a Use By date because the manufacturer must show that the formula retains its declared nutrients and acceptable physical quality through that date. Do not buy or use infant formula after its Use By date. That exception does not turn every other Use By date into a federal safety deadline.

The date cannot tell you how the food was handled

Food can still be within its printed date and have been mishandled. FDA consumer guidance says refrigerated foods should be kept at 40°F (4°C) or below. Perishable food should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour when the air temperature is above 90°F (32°C). The label has no way to reveal a warm car ride, power outage, broken seal, or cross-contamination.

Going past a quality date does not mean a properly handled product suddenly became unsafe at midnight, either. Consider the type of food, whether it has been opened, package instructions, storage temperature, product-specific guidance, recalls, and the needs of anyone at higher risk of foodborne illness.

Check the package and its history

Begin with the exact product and the wording beside its date. Look for an opened seal, damage, swelling, or leaks. Then trace what you actually know about storage: where the food was kept, whether it stayed cold, and when it was opened or prepared. FoodKeeper and the federal cold-storage chart can provide product-specific context. Check current recall notices when the product identity matters.

Smell and appearance can reveal some spoilage, but they cannot detect every pathogen. FDA notes that food can cause illness even when it does not look, smell, or taste spoiled. Do not taste a questionable food to test it. When temperature history is unknown or official instructions say to discard it, the printed quality date should not override that evidence.

Keep the details you will need later

For a useful household record, keep the product name, the complete printed phrase and date, the opened or prepared date, and the storage location. Add the freeze date if the food moves to the freezer. This keeps an unopened-package date from being mistaken for a deadline that covers an opened container indefinitely.

Let reminders prompt a fresh check of the facts. A tracker can say 'review yogurt package and opened date today.' It should not promise 'safe for three more days' unless the exact product, handling history, and authoritative guidance support that statement.

Use the details you have

Questions that need a little more context