Column By Carla M. Haley
Texarkana Gazette

from http://www.texarkanagazette.com/articles/2005/09/28/local_news/features/features02.txt

Have you ever wondered what the dates on most food labels mean? You might find them on canned items, frozen food packages, and even meat or poultry products. Does it mean that the product is unsafe after that date?

The answer to these questions can be found on most food labels. "Open dating" is the use of a calendar date as opposed to a code on a food product. This date will help the store determine how long to display the product for sale. It can also help the shopper know the time limit to purchase or use the product at its best quality. Contrary to what many believe, it is not a safety date.

Open dating is found primarily on perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. "Closed" or "coded" dating might appear on shelf-stable products such as cans and boxes of food.

Click HERE to subscribe to our newsletter. (Opens a new window.)
We do not share your email address with anyone. Period.

There are four types of dates on food labels.

• The "Sell by" or "pull" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires. Even if the food is sold on the "sell by" date, it can still be eaten later.

Have you ever poured out milk because the "sell by" date had been reached? You are not alone. The date on the label is a date for the grocery store. It is not a "use by" date for the consumer. As a general rule, milk is safe and wholesome 7 to 10 days after the date on the label.

• "Best if used by (or before)" date is recommended for best flavor and quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
• "Use by" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product. The product may still be used after this date; it just may no longer meet the company's standard for freshness.
• "Expiration" date is the last date the product should be eaten. It might read, "Do not use after October 1, 2005." The Food and Drug Administrations regulates the expiration date on baby food and formula. Do not use or buy formula or baby food after the expiration date.

What about the safety of the product after the date expires? Except for the "use by" or "expiration" date, product dates don't always refer to home storage and use after purchase. But even if the date expires during home storage, a product should be safe, wholesome and of good quality, if handled properly and kept at the appropriate temperatures.

If you notice the food has developed an off flavor, odor or appearance, you should not use it.

The mishandling of food is also a reason to discard food before the date on the package. An example might be if hot dogs were taken to a picnic and left out for several hours, they wouldn't be safe to eat, even if the date hadn't expired.

The expiration date on egg cartons sometimes confuses consumers. If the date says "EXP October 1," be sure that the date has not passed when the eggs are purchased. That is the last day the store may sell the eggs as fresh.

So if you purchased the eggs today and the expiration date is tomorrow, does that mean you have to discard them and they are no longer safe? No, as long as you purchase a carton of eggs before the date expires, you should be able to use all the eggs safely in three to five weeks after the date of purchase.

Unfortunately product dates aren't a guide for safe use of a product. Consumers must learn how long they can store the food and still consume it at top quality. Follow these tips to assure that your foods are still of high quality.

• Purchase the product before the date expires.
• If perishable, take the food home immediately after purchase and refrigerate it promptly. Freeze it if you can't use it within the times recommended on the storage chart.
• Once a perishable is frozen, it doesn't matter if the date expires because the foods kept frozen continuously are safe indefinitely, though they may not retain their quality. To make it easier for me to know how long a food has been in the freezer, I use a marker and write the date placed in the freezer on the product.

If you have ever wondered how long you may keep a food after purchase, we have available for you a handy chart that contains the storage of fresh or uncooked products, and those products sealed at a commercial plant. Contact our office and request your copy of the storage chart.

We may be reached at the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Miller County Cooperative Extension Service at 400 Laurel, Suite 215, Texarkana; call 870-779-3609, or e-mail me at Chaley@uaex.edu.

Carla M. Haley is a county extensionn agent, family and consumer sciences, with the Miller County Extension Service.