{"id":1764,"date":"2026-08-06T01:53:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T01:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uscnews.org\/?p=1764"},"modified":"2026-08-06T01:53:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T01:53:02","slug":"do-you-toss-food-once-the-date-on-the-label-has-passed-experts-say-thats-often-a-waste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uscnews.org\/?p=1764","title":{"rendered":"Do you toss food once the date on the label has passed? Experts say that\u2019s often a waste"},"content":{"rendered":"

A date is stamped below a Sell By label on a carton of eggs displayed at Park Plaza Fine Foods, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo\/Jeff Chiu)<\/small><\/p>\n

2026-07-28T12:03:10Z<\/p>\n

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) \u2014 If you\u2019ve ever tossed out a carton of milk or a container of yogurt solely because the date on the packaging had passed, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

Many people throw away food simply because of the date printed on the label. But often it is still perfectly edible, according to experts.<\/p>\n

With no federal regulations requiring standardized labels for dates on food except for baby formula, it\u2019s no surprise that deciphering terms like \u201cBest Before,\u201d \u201cBest By,\u201d \u201cBest If Used By,\u201d \u201cEnjoy By,\u201d and \u201cSell By\u201d can be mind-boggling.<\/p>\n

What most people don\u2019t realize is that those labels are more about how fresh something is \u2014 not how safe the food is to eat.<\/p>\n

California<\/a><\/span> is trying to bring some clarity with a new law that requires food manufacturers to use just two labels: one for quality and another for safety.<\/p>\n

Here are a few tips to help you understand food date labels and keep perfectly good food out of the trash even if you don\u2019t live in California.<\/p>\n

This article is part of AP\u2019s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

More than 50 different date labels are used in the US<\/h2>\n

In the United States, more than 80% of consumers discard food approaching the package date label at least occasionally, a 2019 study<\/a><\/span> by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe date labels guarantee quality up until that point,\u201d said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University. \u201cThey are not about the safety of a product.\u201d<\/p>\n

Food date labels vary state by state and are determined by the food manufacturer. Researchers<\/a><\/span> from the University of Maryland found that more than 50 different date labels are used across the United States. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re based on when the manufacturer thinks that product will taste its best, when its quality will be at its peak,\u201d said Rachel Zemser, a San Francisco Bay Area food scientist who helps food companies design, launch and market new food products.<\/p>\n

Food packaging helps determine how long food is safe to eat<\/h2>\n

Unopened canned food like beans, tomatoes, fruit, vegetables, and any shelf-stable food package in liquid, will last for years after the date stamped on its label. The same goes for boxes of soy milk or boxes of almond milk, or any food that\u2019s been heat-treated and sealed to stay safe without refrigeration.<\/p>\n

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