Food date labels decoder

4 cited sources
Content updated 2026-10-26

All 9 detected claims in the English guide have exact source mappings. This automated source comparison is not professional review or a guarantee about an individual food. Claims outside this detector and human review remain separate.

Read the exact wording: a food date can concern quality or safety. Do not assume every “use by” date is only about quality. This U.S. guide includes California’s regional rules. California Section 82001.

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	Meaning depends on applicable rules	California: safety date for covered foods	Follow safety dates and package directions. Do not use infant formula after its use-by date.
Freeze-by	USDA federal quality example	Not a safety date in that example	USDA describes this date as a guide to freezing for peak quality.
Packed on / Born on	Production date	Production context	Follow package directions for safe handling and preparation.

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?

Was this helpful?

Sources: USDA FSIS — Food Product Dating , FDA — Are You Storing Food Safely? , California Department of Food and Agriculture — Food Date Labeling , California Food and Agricultural Code — Section 82001 . Content updated; source coverage incomplete 2026-10-26.