Do Food Expiration Dates Really Matter?
Experts provide a guide to the variety of confusing ‘freshness’ dates on food By Star Lawrence WebMD Weight Loss Clinic – Feature Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD You open the fridge, drag out the cottage cheese, check for fur, and if there isn’t any, you say, “Honey? Will you sniff this?” This is not, however, the approved method of checking for freshness. The approved way lies in a voluntary system of labeling. Yes, voluntary. The only items required by federal law to be labeled for expiration are infant formula and some baby foods; some states also mandate pulling dairy from store shelves on the expiration date. Learn the Lingo of Expiration Dates This brings us to terminology. The actual term “Expiration Date” refers to the last date a food should be eaten or used. Last means last — proceed at your own risk. Other, more commonly spotted terms are: • “Sell by” date. The labeling “sell by” tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before th
