Food LabelingHow do you know if food is safe to eat?

Labeling

All food must have labelsThe label MUST include:

◦The name of the food◦The date by which is must be eaten, sold, or

thrown out

What is the name of the food?

What is the date by which this food must be eaten?

Labeling

The three most common dates are Sell-By Date, Use-By Date, and Expiration Date. But what do they mean?

Sell-By Date

Sell-By Date: Refers to the last day a retailer can display a product for sale; typically a food is safe to eat for 10 days after the Sell-by Date if refrigerated properly.

Sell-by Date

What are the Sell-by dates on these items?

Use-By Date

Use-By Date: Refers to the last day a product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor, and texture. Beyond this date, the product begins to deteriorate although it is still edible.

Use-By Date

What are the Use-By Dates on these items?

Expiration Date

Expiration Date: Means what it says - if you haven't used a product by this date, toss it.

Expiration Date

What are the expiration dates on these items?

Some other common labels

What do you think these mean?

The best advice. . .

When in doubt. . .THROW IT OUT!