Food date labels decoder

2 cited USDA/FDA/FSIS sources
Content updated 2026-09-04

Exact references cover 3 of 8 detected claims in the English guide. The remaining statements have not completed exact-source review. References alone do not confirm every claim; normal smell or appearance does not prove safety.

U.S. date labels are confusing because they use different words for quality vs safety. Except infant formula, most dates are not “throw out at midnight” rules — storage temperature and spoilage signs matter more.

Quick decoder

Label	What it means	Safety?	What to do
Sell-by	Store inventory guide	Not a discard date for consumers	Normal smell and appearance cannot establish safety. Follow storage instructions and the temperature history.
Best if used by / Best before	Peak quality	Quality, not automatic spoilage	Normal smell and appearance cannot establish safety. Follow storage instructions and the temperature history.
Use-by	Last date for peak quality (perishables)	Quality guide for most foods; exception: infant formula	Do not use infant formula after its use-by date. For other foods, follow the storage conditions; senses alone cannot establish safety.
Freeze-by	Last recommended freeze date	Quality-focused	Freeze before this date for best texture after thawing.
Packed on / Born on	Production date	Helps trace freshness	Use with category shelf-life guides — not a standalone safety deadline.

Past the date on common foods

Related on FoodLasts

Guides: Use-By vs Best-Before vs Sell-By: What Food Dates Really Mean · How to Tell If Food Has Gone Bad · The 2-Hour Rule: How Long Can Food Sit Out?

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Sources: USDA FSIS — Food Product Dating , FDA — Are You Storing Food Safely? . Content updated; source coverage incomplete 2026-09-04.