How important are expiration dates for food products?
MINNEAPOLIS — Every year, about a third of all food in the United States goes to waste. A healthy portion of that is due to confusion about labeling dates.
Contrary to popular belief, the "best if used by" or "best before" date is not an expiration date. It is just when a product will have the best flavor or quality.
The "sell by" date lets the store know how long a product should be on the shelves.
The "freeze by" date is the last day recommended by the manufacturer to freeze the product to maintain peak quality.
The "use by" date is the last date recommended for you to use the product at peak quality.
"In most cases, the dates are not important for safety for consumers," Katerine Simon, food and feed safety division director for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, said.
Simon says most products can be consumed after their use-by date but there are exceptions, like infant formula.
"The main reason why is that it's the sole nutrient source for those infants and making sure they have all their nutrient needs met while they're growing is highly important," Simon said.
She says prepared food and deli meat should also be used by the date on the package to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
"E. coli, salmonella and listeria, those are ones that are typically of more concern," Simon said.
Most products last longer than you may think, like canned goods and frozen raw meat. But how products are stored is key.
"It could literally be months or years beyond those dates," Simon said.
As a general rule of thumb, food that has been opened is good for five to seven days in the refrigerator, although it depends on the product and how it is stored.