Whenever we buy food from the grocery store, it’s normally labeled with a date alongside a phrase such as ‘use by’ or ‘best before.’ These food labels are intended to inform us about when a product is fit for consumption, but they can often be confusing, leading to perfectly good food being wasted. When you consider that around 20% of household food waste is a result of misunderstandings around food labeling, you start to realize the extent of this problem!
One of the most frustrating aspects of food labeling is the lack of standardization – the terms used and their meanings can vary widely depending on your location. For example, within the U.S., there is no federal legislation surrounding food labeling, leading to variations in local rules from state to state.
However, with a better understanding of food labels and their purpose, we can reduce the amount of edible food going to landfill, helping to contribute to a more sustainable food system and reduce our impact on the environment.
The Different Types of Food Labels
The key to making the most of the food we buy and reducing food waste lies in understanding the different types of food labeling systems. Some labels should be regarded as hard and fast rules that must be followed, while others are more for advisory purposes and have some flexibility.
"Best Before" Dates
‘Best Before’ or ‘Best, if used by’ dates tell you the period during which the product is at its peak quality and flavor. They are a guide of quality rather than safety, and most products with a ‘Best Before’ date are still fit for human consumption after this date. This label is commonly used for non-perishable food items and those that don’t pose a high risk to human health if consumed after the listed date, such as rice, pasta, chocolate, canned goods, and vegetable oils.
For example, if you have a bag of dried pasta in the pantry that has gone past its ‘Best Before’ date, it is unlikely to pose a risk to health if it’s cooked and consumed. It might have deteriorated in terms of flavor and texture, but it will still be safe to eat.
"Use By" Dates
‘Use By’ dates can be tricky to interpret, as their meaning varies depending on where you live. In the U.S., the ‘Use By’ label tells you the estimated final day when a product is at peak condition, while in the EU, the same term is a safety warning used to inform consumers when an item is no longer fit for consumption.
Regardless of the actual definition, the term ‘Use By’ is normally applied to perishable foods such as meat, fish, and dairy products – basically, any products found in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. These foods can all deteriorate quickly and may cause serious health problems if consumed when they are past their prime.
Foods stored in the refrigerator are highly susceptible to bacterial contamination, which can cause two issues: food spoilage and foodborne illness. With these perishable foods, safety becomes a bigger concern, as you may not always be able to detect the presence of harmful bacteria.
With some foods, the risk of foodborne illness is high, and the ‘Use By’ date should be strictly adhered to. These include all raw meat products, fish and seafood, soft cheeses, deli meats, and infant formula. To cook and consume these beyond their recommended date is very risky, as bacterial contamination may already have occurred.
"Sell By" Dates
The ‘Sell By’ date on products is used primarily to guide stock management within stores and is no reflection on the quality of the product or whether it is edible. The idea behind the ‘Sell By’ date is that most consumers want to buy products that do not need to be consumed immediately, so stores remove products from sale that need to be eaten within a short period of time.
The one advantage of this system is that items approaching their ‘Sell By’ date are often sold off cheaply to enable the store to cover their wholesale costs. These are known as short-dated items, and many stores now feature a reduced section where these foods are placed. Buying short-dated products is a great way to cheaply fill your pantry and freezer, whilst also helping to reduce waste within the food chain!
Additional Food Labeling Terms
As well as the three most common examples listed above, you may come across some other more obscure food labeling terms. Let’s take a look at what these are and what they mean:
"Expiration Date"
The term ‘Expiration Date’ is a bit vague, as there is no standardization on how it is used. Some manufacturers use ‘Expiration Date’ as an all-encompassing term to describe any type of food labeling date. Others use the labels ‘Expiration Date’ and ‘Sell By’ interchangeably, indicating when a product should be removed from sale. And a few use ‘Expiration Date’ as an alternative term to ‘Use By,’ specifically for perishable food products.
So, as consumers, where does this leave us? When products are labeled with an expiry date, you simply need to apply a bit of common sense. For perishable or chilled foods, follow the guidance for ‘Use By’ dates, and for non-perishable pantry items, regard this date the same as ‘Best Before.’
"Freshest Before"
‘Freshest Before’ is a term used in a similar way to ‘Best Before’ – it is not an indication of the safety of the food but tells us when it is in the best possible condition for consumption. Manufacturers want us to consume food when it is at its most delicious and use this type of labeling to help us understand when best to eat it. If a food labeled ‘Freshest Before’ has gone past the recommended date, then it’s no longer at its prime. While it may still be safe to eat, it may experience changes in taste or texture.
Reducing Food Waste Through Understanding
Fear and uncertainty mean that edible food is often discarded simply due to the date printed on the label, even though there is no reason why it should not be consumed. For example, many people mistakenly regard the ‘best before’ date as an expiry date, when it is simply an indication of when the product is at its freshest.
Confusion around food labeling is a major cause of food waste, a problem that impacts far beyond your household grocery budget. Throwing away edible food also wastes the energy and resources that went into creating the food, which in the U.S. alone is responsible for carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to the annual output of 42 coal-fired power plants.
To help reduce this unnecessary food waste, we need to start becoming more aware of food labeling and how strictly (or not) it must be adhered to. Fear of using out-of-date food is all too common, but by thinking logically about the products we are using, we can make the most of our grocery shopping without throwing edible food away.
The best place to start is with any non-perishable pantry items labeled with a ‘Best Before’ date. These food products gradually deteriorate in terms of flavor and quality over time, but can last for several years beyond their recommended date. That old bag of rice or dried beans in the pantry might look a bit dried up, but once you’ve cooked them up, you’ll barely notice the difference!
When it comes to perishable foodstuffs such as meat and dairy products, you need to be more careful due to the increased risk of foodborne illnesses. Follow food safety guidance carefully to avoid bacterial contamination, and cook or freeze any perishable foods before the use-by date to reduce potential food waste.