When to Throw Food Out

Have you ever just thrown food out after the “Use-By”, “Freeze-By”, or “Sell-By” dates on the packaging have passed? USDA Food and Waste Liaison Jean Buzby says she knows there is a lot of confusion surrounding those dates, so that’s why USDA created a FAQ sheet explaining the dates and the safety of that food.

“Manufacturers provide date labels to help consumers and retailers decide when food is of best quality. Except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety and are not required by federal law.”

Buzby adds, “If the date on a food product passes during home storage, it should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until spoilage is evident.”

You can read the FAQ sheet at this link.

Source: USDA

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