Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think

Understanding Food Waste: A Global Challenge and Its Solutions

How much of the food in your fridge will you throw away before it even reaches the table? Perhaps it’s the hamburger buns from last summer’s picnic, milk that has passed its sell-by date, or carrots that have lost their crunch. Around the world, countries waste enormous amounts of food each year, and the United States is one of the biggest contributors. In the US, 37% of food waste comes from individual households, with approximately 20% of that waste attributed to consumers misunderstanding food date labels. The truth is that most discarded groceries are still perfectly safe to eat.

What Do Food Labels Really Mean?

If the dates printed on our food don’t necessarily indicate spoilage, what do they actually tell us? Before the 20th century, food production and consumption were much more localized. People relied on their senses—sight, smell, and touch—to assess freshness. However, as supermarkets began stocking more processed foods, it became harder to judge how fresh a product was.Initially, grocery stores used packaging codes to track how long items had been on shelves. By the 1970s, consumers demanded access to this information, leading to the widespread adoption of "open dating." This system allows manufacturers or retailers to label products with dates intended to indicate when they will taste their best.However, these labels are not synonymous with expiration dates and do not guarantee food safety. In fact, these dates are rarely backed by scientific research, and there are no strict regulations governing their use. As a result, manufacturers often set these dates earlier than necessary to ensure that consumers experience their products at peak quality and are encouraged to repurchase them.

The Safety of Food Beyond Its Labels

This means many food items remain safe to eat long after their labeled dates. For example:

• Shelf-stable foods like cookies and pasta may taste stale but pose no health risk.
• Canned foods can remain safe for years as long as there are no signs of bulging or rusting.
• Frozen foods can last indefinitely because low freezer temperatures prevent bacteria from growing.

Refrigerated eggs can stay fresh for up to five weeks; if they spoil, they will emit a noticeable odor. Spoiled produce is easy to identify by its off-putting smell, slimy texture, or visible mold.However, caution is warranted with certain foods. The USDA recommends consuming or freezing meat within a few days of purchase. Ready-to-eat salads, deli meats, and unpasteurized cheeses can harbor harmful bacteria that may not always be detectable by smell or taste. In contrast, infant formula expiration dates are strictly regulated to ensure safety.

The Impact of Misunderstanding Food Labels

Despite these exceptions, most food labels do not serve as reliable indicators of safety. A 2019 survey found that over 70% of Americans rely on date labels to determine whether food is still edible, with nearly 60% discarding food once it reaches its labeled date. Many restaurants and grocery stores follow similar practices, further contributing to food waste.In the US alone, approximately 88.7 million tons of food go unsold or uneaten annually—about 38% of the country’s total food supply. This staggering amount translates into financial losses estimated between $161 billion and $218 billion each year123. Food waste accounts for over 24% of all municipal solid waste in landfills4.

Proposed Solutions for Reducing Food Waste

To address this pressing issue, many experts advocate for standardized date labeling laws that distinguish between quality and safety. They propose using two specific phrases: “Best if used by” to indicate peak freshness and “Use by” for safety consumption. Implementing these standards at a federal level could prevent approximately 398,000 tons of food waste annually5.Another potential solution is removing date labels from fresh produce altogether—a strategy already adopted by several UK supermarket chains. This encourages consumers to rely on their judgment instead of arbitrary labels. Additionally, experts recommend policies that incentivize grocery stores and restaurants to donate unsold food rather than discarding it.Despite federal protections allowing such donations, confusion surrounding date labels has led at least 20 US states to restrict food donations past labeled dates6. Some countries like France have mandated supermarkets donate unsold food instead of throwing it away.

Conclusion

Regardless of what policies governments implement, the most effective way to prevent food waste is to consume what you buy and trust your senses. Your eyes, nose, and taste buds are often the best tools for determining whether food is still good or belongs in the compost bin.

References

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2024). Food Material-Specific Data. Retrieved from EPA.
2. ReFED. (2023). Insights from ReFED's Food Loss and Waste Estimates for 2022. Retrieved from ReFED.
3. Earth.Org. (2022). 10 Food Waste Statistics in America. Retrieved from Earth.Org.
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). (2024). Food Waste FAQs. Retrieved from USDA.
5. Feeding America. (2023). Fighting Food Waste and Hunger Through Food Rescue. Retrieved from Feeding America.
6. Ballard Brief. (2022). Food Waste in the United States. Retrieved from Ballard Brief.