The “Use by date” indicates the end of the estimated period for the product’s best quality, after which the product may lose some of its quality attributes. (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Confusion over sell-by, use-by, best before and expiry dates rank among the drivers of household food wastage, according to the food waste prevention and management guideline for South Africa, which was produced by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment.
Alleviating confusion on date labels is critical for food waste prevention, it said. “Food date labels are reportedly erroneously used by consumers as an indication of food safety and that results in loss of food that is still fit for consumption.”
Food date labelling is regulated by the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act. According to the regulations, food date labels should appear in a calendar format (“Day-Month-Year”) with the minimum durability written as “Best before” or BB and “Use by” date written in full.
Various date labels are used to mark different food products. These include the “Best before” date. This indicates the date at which the product is at its optimum quality. “According to the Act, the products may be sold and consumed beyond this date.”
The “Use by date” indicates the end of the estimated period for the product’s best quality, after which the product may lose some of its quality attributes. The food product may not be sold after this date. The date of manufacture indicates the day on which the food becomes a finished product.
The “Sell by date” indicates the last day on which the product should appear on the retail store shelf. Its aim is to inform retailers about the date on which the product should be sold. Beyond this date, it is safe to consume the product.
“It is important to note that date labels as contained in the Act are not an indication of food safety. Food safety is influenced by among others, the integrity of the packaging material as well as the effectiveness of the cold chain.”
Food that is within the “Best before” date can, for instance, be unfit for consumption if the packaging failed or the cold chain was interrupted. To verify food safety, consumers are encouraged to inspect the product before use, the guideline said.
The food is likely to be safe for consumption if all the following are in place:
- The container is intact and the seal not broken;
- The food content looks and still smells good for consumption – no obvious signs of discoloration, texture change, mildew, bacteria etc;
- The food tastes as expected when taking a small bite;