It’s important to follow storage instructions (such as ‘keep in a refrigerator’), prepare the food as described and eat it before the use by date. Even if the food looks and smells fine, it should not be eaten after this day as it may make you sick. Can you eat food past its use by date?Īfter the use by date has expired, the food is unsafe to eat. 3 This includes fresh meat, fish, dairy products, fruit juices and other chilled ready-to-eat foods. The use by date is used for foods that are highly perishable (likely to spoil and pose a risk to making people sick quickly). What does the use by date mean? Examples of foods You should not eat food past its use by date, but you can eat food past its best before date if it looks, smells and tastes fine.įigure 1: Use by dates refer to the safety of the food, while best before dates refer to the quality of the food. The best before date is about the quality of the food, while the use-by date is about safety.
2 What is the difference between the best before and use by dates? These products tend to have a date label, and in terms of climate impact, they are important. 1, 2 A better understanding of what the different labels mean could help prevent this food from being unnecessarily thrown away.Īlthough foods that don’t commonly have a date label, such as fruit, vegetables and bakery products, generate the most food waste in terms of weight, foods such as meat, fish, poultry, dairy and fresh juices are also significant contributors to household food waste. However, it has been estimated that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste that is generated in the EU every year are somehow linked to date labelling, for example because of poor legibility or misinterpretation of the meaning of the use by and best before dates. In the EU, these labels are regulated to ensure that retailers use the appropriate one for their products. The best before date is about the quality of the food, while the use by date is about safety. By understanding and paying attention to the different types of date labelling, we can avoid getting food poisoning and reduce our food waste while also saving money.ĭifferent types of date labels serve different purposes.
This article explains the difference between these types of date label and which food products they are commonly used on. The best before and use by date labels are the most widely used types of date labelling on food in Europe. Best before, use by and sell by dates explained Last Updated : 12 September 2021