Frequently Asked Questions

Sell by "Feb 14" is a type of information you might find on a meat or poultry product. Are dates required on food products? Does it mean the product will be unsafe to use after that date? Here is some background information, which answers these and other questions about product dating.

Does Federal Law Require Dating?

Except for infant formula and some baby food, product dating is not required by Federal regulations. However, if a calendar date is used it must express both the month and day of the month (and the year in the case of shelf-stable and frozen products). If a calendar date is shown, immediately adjacent to the date must be a phrase explaining the meaning of that date such as "sell by" or "use before"

There is no uniform or universally accepted system used for food dating in the United States. Although dating of some foods is required by more than 20 states, there are areas of the country where much of the food supply has some type of open date and other areas where almost no food is dated.

What do Codes Mean?

"Open Dating" (use of calendar date as opposed to a code) on a food product is a date stamped on a products’ package. Open dating is primarily found on perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. It is not a safety date.

"Closed Dating" also known as Julian Dating or coded dating is packing numbers or a code created and used by the manufacturer. Closed dating might appear on shelf-stable products such as cans and/or boxes of food.

"Sell-By" dates tell the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.

"Best if Used By" (or Before) date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

The "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The manufacturer of the product has determined the date.

What Can you Freeze?

You can freeze almost any foods. Some exceptions are cans or eggs in shells. However, once the food (such as a ham) is out of the can, you may freeze it.

Being able to freeze food and being pleased with the quality after defrosting are two different things. Some foods simply don’t freeze well at all. Examples are mayonnaise, cream sauce and lettuce. Raw meat and poultry maintain their quality longer than their cooked counterparts because moisture is lost during cooking.

Freshness and Quality?

Freshness and quality at the time of freezing affect the condition of frozen foods. If frozen at peak quality, foods emerge tasting better than foods frozen near the end of their useful life. So freeze items you won’t use quickly sooner rather than later. Store all foods at 0°F or lower to retain vitamin content, color, flavor and texture.

What about Canned Goods?

In general, high-acid foods such as tomatoes, grapefruit and pineapple can be stored on the shelf 12 to 18 months; low acid canned foods such as meat, poultry, fish and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years – if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place.

Fresh and Frozen Guidelines

Guidelines for Use and Storage

Except for "use-by" dates, product dates don’t always refer to storage and use after purchase. But even if the date expires during storage a product should be safe, wholesome and of good quality — if handled properly and kept at 40° or below.

Since product dates are not guides for safe use of a product, how long can the food be stored and still used at top quality? Follow these tips:

• Purchase the product before the date expires
• If perishable refrigerate it promptly. Freeze it if you can’t use it within time recommended on chart.
• Once a perishable product is frozen it doesn’t matter if the date expires because foods kept frozen continuously are safe indefinitely.
• Because freezing keeps food safe indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only.
• Freezer burn does not make food unsafe, merely dry in spots. It appears as grayish-brown leathery spots and is caused by air reaching the surface of the food. Cut freezer-burned portions away either before or after cooking the food. Heavily freezer-burned foods may have to be discarded for quality reasons.
• Follow handling recommendations on product.

Fresh Product Guidelines

Refrigerator Home Storage at (40° or below)

Realize Tremendous Savings Using Dated Product

Manufacturers offer deep discounts on food products for a variety of reasons: slight cosmetic imperfections, over production, formula changes, product discontinuation, cancelled orders and products nearing their visible pack or code dates.

Some customers are sensitive to the issue of visible pack or code dates appearing on cases of food items. We thought it would be helpful to highlight some of the benefits involved when ordering food with visible dates on the shipping box or inner packaging.

It is important to know that these items are guaranteed to be wholesome and safe for human consumption. Name brand manufacturers who offer these discounted food products will provide an explanation for the dating along with food handling and storage guidelines.

Examples of dating issues are:

It is quite common for fast food chain accounts to ask their manufacturers to put a visible "expires on" date on the carton. This is really an inventory rotation date intended to turn inventory dollars. The wholesomeness of the product beyond this date is not compromised, and in fact can extend well beyond even a year!

Some dates are geared toward "optimum performance", i.e. baked goods. Usually items such as rolls, breads and pastries require proofing. As a product ages in the freezer, the performance of the product may be minimally reduced, while wholesomeness and taste are not compromised.

Fresh products, such as cold cuts, pudding cups and other meats, often have a "use or freeze by" date. Manufacturers blast freeze fresh food items several weeks prior to their fresh use-by dates. The process of quickly freezing these perishable foods extends the shelf life by months or even years.

Benefits to utilizing discounted foods with visible dates are as follows:

Tremendous savings on food costs.

The ability to serve a superior product at the same or even less than the cost of the current item.

The ability to serve a popular and high profile brand name food item.

Variety! Without these discounted food items it is difficult to add variety to a menu where repeat customers are served.

There are responsible ways to order these food items. First, always know exactly how the dating reads before you order the product. Examples include: "use or freeze by", "sell by", "expires on", "best if used by", "packed on" etc. Second, your sales representative should provide you with a letter explaining the dating issue and guaranteeing the products’ wholesomeness. The letter should be on the manufacturer’s letterhead and should be signed by them as well.

With this in mind, you can enjoy delicious, branded, high value quality food at terrific savings. This is one small but important aspect of the Good Source line. We hope you will benefit from our industry knowledge and expertise.

For additional food safety information about meat, poultry, or egg products, call the toll-free USDA Meat and poultry Hotline at (800) 535-5555.

Information is also available from:
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
www.fsis.usda.gov

Food Marketing Institute
www.fmi.org

Please note: This information has been excerpted from Focus on: Food Product Dating Food Safety and Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture web site www.fsis.usda.gov and Food Marketing Institute web site www.fmi.org