An expiration date, or expiry date, is a date set in advance that shows when a product should no longer be used. This happens either because of laws or because the product has passed its expected time of safety or quality for items that can spoil, like food. Expiration dates are used on some food items and other products, such as infant car seats, where the product's age might affect how safely it works.
Rules and terms for expiration dates differ by country and product type. Products that spoil easily, like milk and meat, often have a "use by" date. This means the product should not be eaten after that date because it could be unsafe. Other products, like dried foods, may have a "best before" date. These products might lose some quality over time but are still safe to eat after the date if stored properly. How a product is stored and handled can influence how quickly it spoils, so dates can vary depending on these conditions.
A time temperature indicator is a label or device that shows if a product has been exposed to unsafe temperatures. These indicators help determine if a product has spoiled because of temperature changes, even if the expiration date has not passed.
Expiration dates are also used for items like coupons, promotional offers, and credit cards. In these cases, the date is set for business reasons or to help with security, not because the product is unsafe. The term "expiration date" is often shortened to "EXP" or "ED."
Terms
Foods with a "use by" date on their packaging should not be eaten after that date. This date is used for foods that can spoil quickly because of physical changes, chemical reactions, bacteria, or other factors that could harm health. Milk, meat, fish, and eggs are examples of foods that can spoil easily. These foods should be thrown away if they are past their use by date or if they show signs of spoilage, such as bad smells or colors. Fruits, vegetables, bread, and other baked goods can also spoil, but they are less likely to cause serious harm. It is important to follow storage and preparation instructions for perishable foods. Some foods need to be kept in the refrigerator, while others must be cooked to certain temperatures to stay safe.
In the United States, expiration dates on food and drugs are guidelines based on normal handling and storage. Eating food before the expiration date does not always guarantee it is safe, and food or drugs may still be safe after the date. The United States Department of Agriculture explains that high-acid canned foods, like tomatoes and fruits, can keep their best quality for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned foods, such as meats and vegetables, can stay good for 2 to 5 years.
Infant formula should not be ignored when it comes to expiration dates. If stored for too long, it may lose important nutrients.
The expiration date on medicines shows the date the manufacturer guarantees the drug's full strength and safety. Most medicines remain safe and effective for some time after the expiration date. A rare example is expired tetracycline, which may cause a condition called renal tubular acidosis. A study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that about 90% of over 100 tested drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, were still safe and effective up to 15 years past their expiration dates. Joel Davis, a former FDA official, noted that most expired medicines are still effective, except for a few, such as nitroglycerin, insulin, and some liquid antibiotics.
"Best before" or "best by" dates appear on many foods, including frozen, dried, and tinned items. These dates are not safety warnings but indicate the quality of the product. Food past this date may not be harmful but might lose flavor or texture. Eggs are an exception because they can carry salmonella, which grows over time. In Britain, eggs should be used within 21 days of being laid. In the United States, they should be used within 45 days of being packed. Egg quality decreases over time due to various factors, so some people prefer to use fresher eggs for eating and older eggs for cooking.
Sometimes, packaging uses pre-printed labels, making it hard to place "best before" dates clearly. In such cases, labels may say "best before see bottom" or "best before see lid," with the date marked elsewhere as shown.
"Best if used by/before" dates are often found on meat, egg, and poultry products. These dates show how long the product will stay at its best quality or taste. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration supports using "Best if used by" as the standard wording for these dates.
Although U.S. federal law does not require food dating, the Food Safety and Inspection Service oversees meat, egg, and poultry products. Dates on these items are voluntary but must follow FSIS rules.
"Open dating" is a date printed on food packaging to help sellers display products for sale. This ensures the product is of the best quality when sold. An open date does not replace a use-by date if one is present, which should still be followed.
Bathroom products and toiletries often show a time in months from when the product is opened. This is shown with a graphic of an open tub and numbers inside (e.g., "12M" means use the product within 12 months of opening). Some foods also say "eat within X days of opening."
A "sell by" date is a clearer term for what is often called an "expiration date." Most food is still safe to eat after this date, though quality may not be guaranteed. Stores reduce waste by rotating stock, placing older items at the front of shelves so they are sold first. This helps ensure freshness and avoids fines for selling outdated products, which could lead to financial loss.
Food waste
According to the UK Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), 33% of all food produced is wasted during transportation and storage or by people at home. At the same time, spoiled food causes many people to become sick each year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the USA, about 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur annually, resulting in 325,000 hospital visits and 5,000 deaths each year.
Former UK minister Hilary Benn stated that use-by dates and sell-by dates are outdated methods that should be replaced or removed. In 2011, the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs updated its guidance to stop using sell-by dates. This guidance was created with input from the food industry, consumer groups, regulators, and WRAP. The goal is to reduce the £12 billion lost each year from wasted food in supermarkets.
Confusion caused by different types of expiration date labels leads households in developed countries to throw away up to 20% of food that is still safe to eat.
In 2017, voluntary guidelines from the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute suggested using only "best if used by" or "use by" labels to avoid confusion that causes food waste. In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration encouraged food companies to follow these voluntary standards.
Removing date labels and terms like "best if used by," "expired by," and "use by" might help reduce food waste for certain products and groups.
Regulation
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) creates a Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising. This guide explains the "Durable Life Date." The guide is based on the Food and Drugs Act. It outlines what must be on food labels and how dates should be written. The month and day must always be included, and the year if needed. Dates must follow the format year/month/day, using either two or four digits for the year.
An expiration date is different from a best-before date. The CFIA explains that expiration dates are only required for certain foods, such as those with strict nutritional rules that might not be met after the date.
In Canada, expiration dates must appear on these foods:
– Formulated liquid diets (complete nutrition for people using feeding tubes or eating by mouth).
– Foods for very low-energy diets (sold only by pharmacists with a doctor’s written order).
– Meal replacements (foods that can replace one or more meals).
– Nutritional supplements (foods that add missing nutrients to a diet).
– Infant formula (a substitute for human milk).
After an expiration date, the food may lose its nutritional value, which is important for these products. The CFIA advises that food should not be eaten, sold, or bought after the expiration date. A best-before date shows how long prepackaged food can keep its freshness, taste, or other qualities claimed by the manufacturer. Food past a best-before date may still be safe to eat. Other dates, like "sell by" or "manufactured on," help guide consumers.
Non-food items may also have expiration dates. For example, infant car seats in Canada must have a manufacturer-applied expiration date, usually 6 to 9 years after production. This is because car seats can weaken over time due to use, storage, or exposure to the sun. Transport Canada says expired car seats should be destroyed and not given to others.
In Canada, medicines must have expiry dates, as required by Health Canada and pharmacies.
In the European Union (EU), food quality dates are governed by Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, which sets rules for providing food information to consumers. As of 2020, the European Food Safety Authority recommended a risk-based approach for food businesses to decide whether to use "best before" or "use by" dates, set shelf-life times, and label food safely.
In Germany, two types of dates are used: "Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum" (MHD), meaning minimum shelf-life, and "Verbrauchsdatum," which is closer to an expiration date. Foods that spoil quickly, like minced meat, must have a "Verbrauchsdatum" and cannot be sold after the date. Other foods have an MHD, which is set by the producer. These products can still be sold after the MHD if they are in good condition. Customers are not entitled to compensation if they buy expired MHD products that are still safe. Neither MHD nor Verbrauchsdatum gives legal rights if a product is unsafe before the date, even if the manufacturer claims it is safe.
The MHD has been criticized for causing food waste. Some people throw away still-safe food after the MHD, thinking it is expired.
In Hong Kong, highly perishable foods, like pasteurized milk and sandwiches, must use a "Use by" label instead of a "Best before" label. Dates are usually written as DD MM YY or YYYY.
Before 1980, there was no legal rule in the UK for food to have date labels, though some stores used coded dates for inventory. In 1980, the UK introduced laws requiring a "best-before" date, but allowed use of terms like "sell by." Later, it became illegal to sell food past its "use-by" date.
Best practices for labeling include using "best before" or "use by" dates so consumers can ensure food safety and reduce waste. Dates should be written in day/month or day/month/year format. Experts should test food safety and quality regularly. Shelf-life tests should use the same ingredients, equipment, and methods as actual production.
In the United States, selling expired food is loosely regulated. Some states ban the sale of expired products or require expiration dates on perishable items, while others do not. Selling contaminated food is illegal and can lead to lawsuits if it causes harm.
In the U.S., "sell by" or "best if used by" dates (called "open dating") became common in the 1970s due to consumer pressure. Retailers used "closed dating" (secret codes) before, but public demand led to readable dates on packages. No federal law requires expiration dates except for infant formula, but voluntary practices became widespread. The FDA states that food in the U.S. must be safe and suitable for eating.
Beer
A freshness date is a date used in the American brewing industry to show either when the beer was bottled or the date by which it should be drunk.
Beer can spoil easily. It may be harmed by light, air, or bacteria. In the United States, beer is not required by law to have a shelf life, but freshness dates help guide consumers and are used to help sell the product.
The General Brewing Company in San Francisco labeled their Lucky Lager Beer with "Age Dated" information as early as late 1935. They printed a date on each can lid to show the beer was brewed before that date. This was not to guarantee the beer was fresh, but to ensure it had aged properly. After Prohibition ended, many breweries rushed beer to the market before it was ready, causing customers to worry about drinking beer that was not fully prepared. The Boston Beer Company, which makes Samuel Adams, was one of the first modern breweries to add freshness dates in 1985. For ten years, few breweries used this practice. It became more common after Anheuser-Busch introduced "Born-On dates" in 1996. Many breweries now use freshness dates, but there is no universal rule about what the date means. Some companies use the date to show when the beer was bottled, while others use it to indicate the last day it should be consumed.