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Best-by dates generally refer to freshness, not an automatic food-safety deadline, while sell-by dates guide retailers on stock rotation. Experts say storage, food type and signs of spoilage matter, but infant formula and perishable foods require extra caution.
A Good Housekeeping report featuring food-safety and nutrition experts says a food’s best-by date is generally about freshness, not a guarantee that the product becomes unsafe the next day. The distinction matters as confusing package labels contribute to avoidable food waste, but experts caution that food type, storage and signs of spoilage still matter.
Food-safety and policy expert Darin Detwiler describes a sell-by date as a retail stock-rotation instruction, rather than a deadline telling shoppers when to eat a product. A best-by date, he says, indicates when a product may begin losing freshness. The report distinguishes these from use-by or freeze-by dates, which it describes as dates tied to a food item’s safety under applicable labeling rules.
For many shelf-stable foods—including dry grains, bottled goods and canned products—eating them after a best-by date may be reasonable if the packaging is intact and the food has been stored properly. Good Housekeeping Chief Food Director Kate Merker advises discarding cans that are dented, rusty or bulging. She also cautions that food can lose taste and texture as time passes, even if it remains safe.
Good Housekeeping Nutrition Director Stefani Sassos recommends checking for mold, unusual odors, discoloration, off flavors and changes in texture. She warns that poor handling or storage can speed spoilage. The report says consumers should take particular care with meat, poultry and dairy, and identifies infant formula as a product for which the date should not be ignored.
Date Labels Can Shape Food Waste
Misreading a date label can lead people to throw away food that may still be usable, while treating every product as safe past its date could create risks. The report cites an estimate that nearly 120 billion pounds of food are wasted annually in the United States and a ReFED study finding that confusion over package labels may account for up to 7% of U.S. food waste.
Those figures underscore why the wording matters: a sell-by date is intended for retailers, while a best-by date generally signals a quality window. But the distinction does not replace safe storage or product-specific guidance. Consumers still need to judge the food and packaging, and should discard items that show signs of spoilage or are covered by stricter safety instructions.
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How Food Date Labels Differ
The source report says California became the first state to ban sell-by dates on most food packaging, with the stated aim of reducing food waste. It also reports that other states have considered bills or similar policy initiatives to simplify date labels. The material does not provide the law’s effective date or details of its exact scope.
Detwiler’s explanation in the report separates retail guidance from consumer freshness information: sell-by dates help stores manage inventory, while best-by dates indicate when quality may start to decline. The report refers readers to USDA guidance for shelf-stable foods. Its overall advice is to use label wording alongside storage history, packaging condition and observable spoilage rather than treating all date terms as interchangeable.
“A sell-by date is “literally about stock rotation.””
— Darin Detwiler, food-safety and policy expert, as quoted by Good Housekeeping
Safety Depends on Food and Storage
The report does not give a single safe number of days or months for eating every product after its best-by date. That depends on the food, whether the package has been opened, and how it was stored and handled. The source material also does not provide detailed temperature guidance or product-by-product storage limits, so readers should follow package directions and relevant food-safety guidance.
Appearance and smell can reveal some spoilage, but the report does not establish that sensory checks alone can rule out every food-safety hazard. A product that appears normal is not necessarily safe if it was mishandled or stored improperly. The exact reach and timing of California’s labeling change, and the status of other state proposals, are also not specified in the source.
Check Labels, Storage and Condition
Consumers can use the label as one part of a broader check: identify whether it says sell-by, best-by or use-by; inspect the package; consider whether the product was opened and stored as directed; and look for mold, unusual odors, discoloration or texture changes. For infant formula and perishable items such as meat, poultry and dairy, follow the product’s date and official safety instructions rather than relying on a general rule for shelf-stable foods.
On the policy side, the source report says other states have introduced or considered proposals to simplify date labeling, but it does not identify specific next votes or implementation dates. Further changes could affect how labels communicate quality and safety; until then, the report’s advice is to distinguish the label’s purpose and assess the food in light of its storage and condition.
Key Questions
Does a best-by date mean food is unsafe after that day?
Not necessarily. The experts quoted by Good Housekeeping describe a best-by date as mainly a freshness guide. Safety still depends on the food, its packaging and how it was stored.
What does a sell-by date mean?
According to food-safety and policy expert Darin Detwiler, a sell-by date helps retailers manage stock rotation. It is not, by itself, a consumer instruction to throw the food away that day.
Which signs mean I should discard food?
Experts cited in the report advise watching for mold, unusual odors, discoloration and changes in texture. Discard canned goods if the can is dented, rusty or bulging. Safe storage and handling also matter.
Can I use infant formula past its date?
Sassos says not to ignore the date on infant formula. Follow the product label and applicable official guidance rather than applying advice for shelf-stable foods generally.
Can old food lose nutritional value even if it is safe?
Yes. Sassos says nutritional value can decline over time, particularly for produce, depending on the food and how it is stored. The report also notes that exposure to air and light after opening can affect some foods.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
