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Food safety experts say a best-by date generally concerns freshness and quality, not an automatic point when food becomes unsafe. Storage, the type of food and signs of spoilage matter; infant formula and perishable foods such as meat, poultry and dairy require particular care.
A Good Housekeeping report says many foods can remain safe to eat after a best-by date, which generally signals when freshness may begin to decline rather than setting a universal safety cutoff. Food safety experts interviewed for the report say consumers should also consider the product, how it was stored and whether the packaging or food shows signs of spoilage—while treating certain foods, including infant formula, with greater caution.
The report distinguishes sell-by dates from best-by dates. Food safety and policy expert Dr. Darin Detwiler describes a sell-by date as a retail stock-rotation instruction: it tells stores when to stop displaying a product, not necessarily when a consumer must discard it. Best-by dates instead indicate when a product may begin losing freshness. The report says use-by or freeze-by dates can carry different safety or handling implications, so shoppers should read the specific label rather than treating all date terms as interchangeable.
Dry grains, canned goods, bottled products and jerky are among the shelf-stable foods that are typically safe past their best-by dates, according to the report, provided they have been stored appropriately and their packaging is intact. Good Housekeeping Chief Food Director Kate Merker advises avoiding cans that are dented, rusty or bulging. Even when food remains safe, its taste and texture may deteriorate, and frozen foods can lose quality over time.
For spoilage checks, Nutrition Director Stefani Sassos, a registered dietitian, recommends looking for mold and other visible changes, as well as unusual odors, flavors or textures. The report stresses that proper storage and handling affect how quickly food spoils. Sassos singles out infant formula as a product for which the date should not be ignored; she also urges particular attention to meat, poultry and dairy, including signs such as discoloration, off odors or a slimy texture.
Date Labels Shape Household Food Waste
The distinction matters because consumers may discard food that is still usable after interpreting a retail or quality date as a strict safety deadline. The report cites an estimate that nearly 120 billion pounds of food are wasted each year in the United States. It also reports that nonprofit ReFED found confusion about packaging labels may account for up to 7% of U.S. food waste. Those figures are presented as estimates in the source, not as a measure of how much waste any one household can avoid.
Understanding the label can help people make more informed decisions and reduce unnecessary waste, but it does not mean every expired product is safe. The experts’ advice is conditional: assess the food type and storage history, inspect the packaging and product, and discard food when there are warning signs or safety concerns. A date alone is not a substitute for safe handling or judgment.
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States Reconsider Sell-By Labels
The report places its consumer guidance alongside policy efforts to simplify food labels. It says California became the first state to ban sell-by dates on most food packaging, with the stated aim of reducing food waste. Other states have introduced bills or similar initiatives, according to the report. The source does not provide the law’s effective date or details of the exact products and exceptions covered, so those specifics should not be inferred from the summary.
Detwiler’s explanation helps clarify the policy concern: a sell-by date is directed at retailers and stock rotation, but shoppers may read it as a safety warning. Best-by dates also are not presented as guarantees of quality indefinitely; the report says freshness can decline after the date, with the extent depending on the food and storage conditions. The USDA fact sheet is cited by Good Housekeeping as an additional resource for shelf-stable foods.
“A sell-by date is “literally about stock rotation.””
— Dr. Darin Detwiler, food safety and policy expert, as quoted by Good Housekeeping
Safety Depends on Food and Storage
The report does not set one date-based rule for every food or provide a universal period for how long individual products remain safe after a best-by date. Storage conditions, whether a package has been opened and the specific food all affect quality and spoilage; the source gives no product-by-product timetable. Nor does a normal smell or appearance, by itself, establish that a food is safe in every case.
The report offers general expert guidance rather than laboratory testing of particular products. Its summary does not detail specific temperature thresholds or handling instructions, and it does not spell out the scope or implementation schedule of California’s labeling change. Consumers with questions about a particular food should consult product instructions and relevant food-safety guidance rather than relying on a date label alone.
Watch Label Rules and Safety Guidance
The report points to ongoing state-level efforts to simplify date labels, but it does not identify a next legislative vote, implementation milestone or additional confirmed policy change. Readers can check current state and federal guidance as rules develop and consult the USDA resource cited in the report for shelf-stable foods. At home, the practical next step is to identify what the date means, store food properly, inspect packaging and discard items that show signs of spoilage—especially when dealing with infant formula or perishable foods.
Key Questions
Does a best-by date mean food is unsafe after that day?
Not necessarily. The report says a best-by date generally relates to freshness, and some foods may remain safe afterward. Safety still depends on the food, its storage and signs of spoilage.
What does a sell-by date mean?
Food safety and policy expert Darin Detwiler says it is a retail stock-rotation date that tells stores when to stop selling a product. The report says consumers may mistakenly interpret it as a safety deadline.
Which foods may be usable after the best-by date?
Shelf-stable foods such as dry grains, canned goods, bottled products and jerky are typically safe past the date, according to the report, if stored appropriately and packaging is sound. A dented, rusty or bulging can should be avoided.
What are common signs food has spoiled?
Look for mold, unusual odors, discoloration and unexpected texture, including sliminess. Sassos also advises paying attention to off flavors, but consumers should not taste food they suspect may be unsafe.
Are there foods that need extra caution?
The report says not to ignore the date on infant formula. It also advises close attention to meat, poultry and dairy, including their storage and any signs of spoilage.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
