Page 218 - How to Be a Conscious Eater - Making Food Choices That Are Good for You

high-risk is that they may harbor listeria, which unlike most
bacteria can grow under refrigeration.
To address consumer confusion and reduce waste, a bill was
introduced in Congress in 2016 called the Food Date Labeling
Act. It seeks to create a uniform national date labeling system
with just two labels: one for quality, i.e., “best if used by,” and
one for safety, i.e., “expires on.” Last I checked, the bill hadn’t
gained traction, but a two-label system making the important
quality-safety distinction would almost certainly cut down on
wasted food and wasted money.
Thankfully, most of the big food manufacturers have in the
meantime gotten on board with a two-date system of their
own, through voluntary guidelines. Put forward by their big
lobbying bodies, the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery
Manufacturers Association, the press release reads as follows:

The new voluntary initiative streamlines the myriad date
labels on consumer products packaging down to just two
standard phrases. “BEST If Used By” describes product
quality, indicating that the product may not taste or perform
as expected but is safe to use or consume. “USE By” applies
to the few products that are highly perishable and/or have
a food safety concern over time; these products should be
consumed by the date listed on the package—and disposed
of after that date.

It’s still not quite as straightforward as we consumers might
expect, but it makes a heck of a lot more sense than the ten dif-
ferent dates we’ve been scratching our heads at all these years.

LOOK IT UP: For lots of tricks on food storage, check
out the directory at savethefood.com, a public service
campaign sponsored by the Natural Resources
Defense Council and the Ad Council.

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