Many people assume that any date printed on food packaging signals the moment a product becomes unsafe, but that isn’t always true. Most date labels are intended to guide retailers or indicate peak quality rather than food safety. “Sell-by” dates tell stores how long to display an item, while “use-by” and “best if used by” dates refer to flavor, texture, and freshness. Closed or coded dates are primarily for manufacturer tracking. With the exception of infant formula, the FDA does not require expiration dates on most foods, and many items remain safe beyond those printed dates. Despite this, expiration guidance...
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