How Fresh is that Food in Your Fridge?

Published on: October 17, 2006

Expiration dates are one of those examples of just how inadequately the food industry communicates with its shoppers. One of the most difficult tasks when selecting our foods is actually trying to find a relatively cogent description of what expiration dates mean. Do you know the difference between labels that say "use by," "best by," "sell by," and "best if used before"? And do any of these phrases mean that if the date labeled is yesterday, you shouldn't consume it?

For example, is a food fresh until Feb. 1, 2008, if that's the date stamped on it, and then do you throw it out on Feb. 2?

The truth is that we are not talking about an exact science when it comes to freshness and food safety and the reality is that the "sell by" label actually is more a guide for the store than we shoppers; it's important to note that stores are not even legally required to remove outdated products from their shelves.

The most upsetting reality is that the government doesn't do a very good job of mandating the kinds of expiration information that ought to be on food labels. The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates packaged foods and drugs, only requires a use-by, or expiration date on infant formula and some baby foods. While the Agriculture Department, which regulates fresh produce and meats, only requires labeling of the date when poultry is packed at the farm. For all other foods, except dairy products in some states, freshness dating is strictly voluntary on the part of manufacturers.

Here's the top line: the validity and usefulness of an expiration date all depends on the type of product. Meat, for example, might have a "sell by" date that is five days from now, but most of us keep our refrigerators at about 40 degrees — not 34 degrees, like we should — and therefore the meat that has a "sell by" date of five days from now may only last for two days in our home refrigerator. There are, of course, two solutions — either eat the meat sooner or adjust your refrigerator so that it is colder. Confusing? Just wait.

The government system which allows manufacturers to add sell-by or use-by dates to their package without regulation, creates a system that is at best dysfunctional, inconsistent and certainly confusing. And sometimes that confusion can lead to illness or worse; last year, there were over 5,000 deaths attributed to food safety issues.

With all the headlines about food safety over the past couple of weeks, we decided that its time for a report on the things you need to know about freshness dating.

Most important is that you have to carefully scrutinize the package and select the items with the most recent dating — but also be sure to inspect the package to make sure the package is in perfect condition, no bulging cans or jar tops, no leaky meat trays, no tears on the frozen package box.

Make sure when you shop, you shop the center of the store first — and then choose the perishable foods last. Remember that if you put the milk in your cart, then walk around the store for another 20 minutes and then the drive home is yet another 20 minutes and then it takes you five minutes to unpack your groceries and refrigerate the products — you may well have diminished the shelf life of that milk by two to four days.

Now let's pick up some packages and see just what they mean:

Expiration date: The most important to observe. If you haven't used the product by this date, toss it out. Other dating terms are used as a basic guideline, but this one means what it says. And again keep in mind just how the product has been handled. If you've left deli meats on the counter for an hour unrefrigerated; figure that the expiration date is at least two days shorter.
Sell-by or pull-by date: This date is designed to help retailers know when to remove product from the shelves, but there is generally still time left on the product. My recommendation is to avoid products that have sell-by dates that will expire before you will actually use the product. An example, milk often has a sell-by date, but the milk will usually still be good for at least a week beyond that date (if properly handled and refrigerated).
Best-if-used-by and use-by date: The emphasis with this designation is on the word best. All it means is that the product should retain maximum freshness, flavor and texture if used by this date. It is not a purchase-by or food safety date. Beyond this date, the product begins to deteriorate in flavor or taste; most often it is still safe and edible. Example: soda — where the sweetness begins to denigrate with time.
Guaranteed fresh: This date is often used for perishable baked goods. Take advantage of the claim. If you get the product home and it no longer tastes fresh or actually stales or molds bring it back to the store.
Pack date: This is the date the item was packed, most used on canned and boxed goods. It is usually in the form of an encrypted code not easy to decipher. It may be coded by month (M), day (D), and year (Y), such as YYMMDD or MMDDYY. Or it may be coded using Julian (JJJ) numbers, where January 1 would be 001 and December 31 would be 365. In even more convoluted coding, letters A through M (omitting the letter I) are often assigned to the months, with A being January and M being December, plus a numeric day, either preceded or followed by the numeric year.

The easiest way to decipher these is to call a manufacturer's toll-free number and ask. But that's not always possible, especially while you're shopping. Here are some basic guidelines you can follow to help figure out the codes yourself. Keep in mind that each manufacturer might follow a different procedure.

To illustrate, we'll use a box that has a code on the top of the box as — J528W3.

Find the manufacturer code. Look near the expiration date or at the top of the package. Most codes are imprinted at the time of product manufacture, so look for an embossed or ink-jet series of letters and numbers.

The first letter, J, denotes the month the product was manufactured. Don't be confused — J does not mean January or June. Most food companies start their manufacturing year in June and start their coding with the letter A. That means that A is June, B is July, etc. The exception is the letter I, which is never used to avoid the possible confusion with the number 1. Counting the months, we find that J refers to February.

The first number, 5, refers to the last number in the year of manufacture. Since few foods have a 10-year shelf life, it's safe to assume that it refers to 2005.

The next two numbers, 2 and 8, are the exact day of manufacture: 28. So far, with J528, we have figured out that the manufacturing date was February 28, 2005. Remember that this is the date the product was made. It does not refer to the freshness or expiration date. Some products are manufactured two months or more before they are delivered to the supermarket.

Next we have the W. Here's where you have to call the manufacturer for clarification. Most times, it is a plant designation and tells us the city of manufacture. In this instance, for example, by calling the company we learned that W is their code for the company's West Chicago plant.

Last, we see a 3. Here again, check with the manufacturer. It often refers to a particular shift, crew or machine. Most times it means third shift.

We've deciphered the code! This package was made on February 28, 2005, in the company’s West Chicago plant on the third shift.

Why is that important? If you have a complaint about product quality, knowing how to read these codes can help the company track down the problem. And in the case of a product recall, you can immediately tell if you have a particular package of the recalled product.

But most importantly, you can tell how fresh a product is. You can calculate the time between manufacture and when you find it on the shelf and compare it to the freshness or sell-by date. Now you can really choose the freshest package.

General food storage tips

Remember that the longer a product sits in your shopping cart, in your car and on the counter — the shorter its life.
Once a package is opened — the date coding is meaningless! Use products as quickly as possible after opening.
Always refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 to 3 days.
Foods in cans and jars (especially condiments) should always be stored in a cool dark environment — and will actually increase their shelf life if refrigerated before opening. Many products have a warning to refrigerate after opening. Believe it! (Yes, even on peanut butter). Best bet is 65 degrees or lower in your cupboard — more than that reduces the shelf life by 50 percent! Most unopened canned goods and jars will last up to a year. High acid products, like citrus fruits, fruit juices, pickles, peppers, sauerkraut, green beans, asparagus, beets, and all tomato products should be used within six months. Use a marker to write on the package when you purchased it.
Never buy cans that are bulging, dented, rusted or show seepage around the seam.
Products like some flour, grains or baking mixes contain dehydrated fats or leavening which will become rancid with time — always check the date; and after you open the package place contents in a zip-lock type of bag.
And remember: You cannot smell or taste the early stages of bacteria or mold. Don't rely on taking a taste to see if a product is spoiled. By then odds are it's way too late!

General Food Storage Guidelines: These guidelines are offered for the best taste, flavor and texture; and consuming product after these time frames is not recommended.

Beer: 4 months (unopened)
Canned foods: 12 months (unopened) 2-3 days opened, refrigerated and placed in airtight container
Cereal: 6-12 months (unopened), 2-3 months opened, put in airtight plastic bag
Chocolate: 1 year from production date (unopened)
Coffee (ground): 2 years (unopened), 2-3 weeks opened (in airtight container)
Coffee (beans): 1 year in vacuum sealed bag (unopened), 1-2 weeks opened (in airtight container)
Cooking Oils: 18 months from production date (unopened), 3 months opened, if stored in a cool, dry place
Entrees (frozen): 12 months (unopened)
Jellies & Jams: 12 months unopened, 3-4 months opened, refrigerated
Juice (bottled): 8 months from production date (unopened), 7 days opened
Ketchup: 1 year (unopened), 4 months opened, refrigerated
Mayonnaise: 3-5 years (unopened), 2 months opened, refrigerated
Mustard: 2 years (unopened), 6 months opened, refrigerated
Pasta (dried): 6 months in airtight package (place cardboard boxes into ziplock type bags to avoid insect infestations)
Peanut Butter: 2 years (unopened), 3 months opened, refrigerated
Salad Dressings: 6 months after "best by" date, unopened, 6 months opened, refrigerated
Soda (diet): 1-2 months from "best by" date
Soda (regular): 3-4 months from “best by” date
Spices/Herbs: 12-24 months (unopened), 12 months, stored in airtight container
Tuna, canned: 1 year from purchase date, 3 days opened, refrigerated not stored in can
Vegetables (frozen): 12 months (unopened)
Wine (red/white): 3 years from vintage date, 1 week opened, refrigerated and corked