# "Sell by" date news



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

This is a topic that comes up often. I just heard a one sentence comment on the news about it.

http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Masses-of-food-wasted-use-by-dates-mislead-4825974.php



> *Masses of food wasted - 'use by' dates mislead*
> 
> Washington -- Americans throw away 40 percent of the food they buy, often because of misleading expiration dates that have nothing to do with safety, said a study released Wednesday by Harvard University Law School and the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.
> 
> ...


Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicle's Washington correspondent. E-mail: [email protected]


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Thanks for posting! I have not heard anything about this yet, in the MSM anyway.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

That's a useful post, thank you


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

*News on shelve life date of food*

90 percent of Americans confused by 'use by' dates on food.
http://news.yahoo.com/expiration-dates-food-study-203844261.html

Explains a lot.


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## mikeymike (Mar 8, 2012)

good post and info


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

In Australia it's illegal to sell food past it's expiration date. So something I had on the shelves yesterday becomes unsaleable today. This is a pretty big deal for small businesses, especially in small towns where you're trying to keep a good range of produce to satisfy customers and keep them shopping locally. 
The amount of food supermarkets here throw out is amazing and most will not give it away either. It goes into skip bins after it has been damaged, tins pierced or bags torn..... 
A waste of food that could be helping people in need.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

> The report said 90 percent of Americans toss good food into the garbage because they mistakenly think that "sell by," "best before," "use by" or "packed on" dates on food containers indicate safety. One-fifth of consumers, the report said, "always" throw away food based on package dates.


Apparently 90% of consumers are not very bright and one-fifth are dumb as rocks. Although I suspect the first number is not accurate. I would buy 70-75% or so. Maybe it's a midwestern thing but I grew up where nothing mattered but smell, color and taste when determining what to throw out and what to keep.


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## RevWC (Mar 28, 2011)

My Grandma would just cut off the mold and rot on any food and eat it. No dates involved..


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

My wife just tell me "here taste this"
If i gag she throws it out.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

A lot of our stuff rotates kind of slowly (like SPAM and corned beef) so I am almost always eating stuff "past the date". I never even look at the stupid date!


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

LincTex said:


> A lot of our stuff rotates kind of slowly (like SPAM and corned beef) so I am almost always eating stuff "past the date". I never even look at the stupid date!


Me either!!!:beercheer:


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

Don't try to eat 100 calorie Oreo cakesters that expired 2 1/2 years ago...they definitely go stale lol


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

*STOP!!!! throwing away perfectly good food*

http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/use-by-and-sell-by-dates/

More than 90% of Americans throw out food prematurely, and 40% of the U.S. food supply is tossed out unused every year because of food dating.
This is stunning, and unbelievably wasteful&#8230;

The following information sourced from TIME.com contains important information for the prepper, and anyone who is confused about what these dates really mean&#8230;

Use-by dates are contributing to millions of pounds of wasted food each year.

A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council and Harvard Law School's Food Law and Policy Clinic says Americans are prematurely throwing out food, largely because of confusion over what expiration dates actually mean.

Most consumers mistakenly believe that expiration dates on food indicate how safe the food is to consume, when these dates actually aren't related to the risk of food poisoning or foodborne illness.

The dates solely indicate freshness, and are used by manufacturers to convey when the product is at its peak. That means the food does not expire in the sense of becoming inedible.

For un-refrigerated foods, there may be no difference in taste or quality, and expired foods won't necessarily make people sick.

But according to the new analysis, words like "use by" and "sell by" are used so inconsistently that they contribute to widespread misinterpretation - and waste - by consumers. **
Eggs, for example, can be consumed three to five weeks after purchase, even though the "use by" date is much earlier. A box of mac-and-cheese stamped with a "use by" date of March 2013 can still be enjoyed on March 2014, most likely with no noticeable changes in quality.

Because food dating was never about public health, there is no national regulation over the use of the dates. The only federally required and regulated food dating involves infant formula, since the nutrients in formula lose their potency as time goes on.

What regulation does exist occurs at the state level - and all but nine states in the United States have food dating rules but these vary widely.

"What's resulted from [the FDA letting states come up with regulation] is really a patchwork of all sorts of different rules for different products and regulations around them,"

"Sometimes a product needs a date, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes a product cannot be sold after a different date. Or there is no requirement at all.*Even with different categories there is so much variability."*
-Dana Gunders, staff scientist with the NRDC

The result is a confused public - and tons of wasted food.

Use by and Best by

These dates are intended for consumer use, but are typically the date the manufacturer deems the product reaches peak freshness.

It's not a date to indicate spoilage, nor does it necessarily signal that the food is no longer safe to eat.

Sell by

This date is only intended to help manufacturers and retailers, not consumers.

It's a stocking and marketing tool provided by food makers to ensure proper turnover of the products in the store so they still have a long shelf life after consumers buy them. Consumers, however, are misinterpreting it as a date to guide their buying decisions. *The report authors say that "sell by" dates should be made invisible to the consumer.*
{{{Better yet; let's just use common sense??  Oh, they no longer teach that in public schools!!}}}


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Toffee said:


> Don't try to eat 100 calorie Oreo cakesters that expired 2 1/2 years ago...they definitely go stale lol


Vegetable based oils go rancid pretty easily, it seems.


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## rawhide2971 (Apr 19, 2013)

Since it was brought up about cookies (oreos) I have been playing around some with them for the grand kids by taking them out of the original packaging and vacumn sealing them in mason jars and doing some in vacumn bags after punctureing the original packaging so I can suck out all the air, I am doing this with several types and plan to have the boys try them out in a year or so just to get a base line and see how they hold up. Can't hurt but I am betting that the shelf life will at least double or tripple in a vacumn


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*No expiration dates on foods*

There are many foods that we can store that have no expiration dates: wheat, rice, beans, whole dried corn, honey, sugar, salt, seeds (chia, sesame, etc.), oats, etc. There have been grains found in ancient jars in caves that are thousands of years old and they are still viable (they sprout). Some of these things may be better when they are freshly harvested, and they lose their desirability when they are not stored correctly. But, they can last for a long, long time if stored correctly.

When you store the basics, you can make many things that you can purchase in stores that have expiration dates. Many people don't store basic kinds of things because we live in an instant society, and cooking is work. Ever grind wheat, make bread (without a machine), bake it and eat it? It is work, but in SHTF situation, what else will we be doing? Working on living and survival!

It really is the canned and processed foods that have expiration dates. Are they easy and convenient? Oh, yes. And they can be really tasty. It all depends on your style, how long you want to be prepared for and what you want to eat when the rest of the world has little or no food. Give SHTF a couple months and there won't be any cheetohs or twinkies. Oh no, twinkies that don't get eaten will outlast everything!


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Toffee said:


> Don't try to eat 100 calorie Oreo cakesters that expired 2 1/2 years ago...they definitely go stale lol


I found a huge bag of generic chocolate cookies with chocolate filling at piggly wiggly for 1.69 and sealed them in jars and plastic seal wrap.
I'm curious to see how long they last till stale..will take out a few every month or so.
In the BOB now, too.

Rawhide--I just read your post-me too..a great test. Just hope we are here long enough to test them.


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## AmericasDaughter (Sep 24, 2013)

Before I started getting interested in prepping I always thought the expiration date had somewhat to do with the quality of the product. Glad I know better now!


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)




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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Mike--- I remember at Kmart in my old hometown, the employed would call certain people when they trashed foods in the dumpsters; quietly, of course.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Extend the shelf life of milk*

Ever have milk that is approaching the expiration date? You can extend the shelf life.



Sentry18 said:


>


http://www.frieslandcampina.com/english/about-milk/wiki-a-z-index/en/e/extending-the-shelf-life-of-milk-through-heating.aspx



> Extending the shelf life of milk through heating
> 
> Heating kills bacteria that could make the milk go off. The extent to which these bacteria are removed depends on the selected heating method:
> 
> ...


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Mike, I don't know*

I have looked online, and this was something I read a few years ago. I am going to continue looking for it, because misinformation is worse than no information!


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*What is the typical shelf life for foods?*

I am on the yahoo group LDS (and friends) food storage group this morning. They are an excellent source of information. You can view their conversation by joining their group. You will need a yahoo email address to join.

An article was referenced which has more good information.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/expired-food-just-nose-190200241.html



> Food Expired? Here's What's Still OK to Chow Down On
> 
> ..By Sarah B. Weir, Shine Senior Writer | Healthy Living - Wed, Sep 25, 2013 3:02 PM EDT.
> When Doug Rauch, the former president of grocery chain Trader Joe's, announced earlier this week that he is planning on opening a discount store that carries expired food, the big question many responded with was: "Is it safe?" Americans have come to equate products past their expiration dates with food poisoning, a misconception that contributes to 40 percent *- or $160 billion worth - of the nation's food supply being trashed each year.
> ...


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> It really is the canned and processed foods that have expiration dates. Are they easy and convenient? Oh, yes. And they can be really tasty. It all depends on your style, how long you want to be prepared for and what you want to eat when the rest of the world has little or no food. Give SHTF a couple months and there won't be any cheetohs or twinkies. Oh no, twinkies that don't get eaten will outlast everything!


There will still be Cheetos at my house!


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

backlash said:


> My wife just tell me "here taste this"
> If i gag she throws it out.


That goes for me too, I thick is called "guinea pigs" oh well I love her anyway.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

JayJay said:


> I found a huge bag of generic chocolate cookies with chocolate filling at piggly wiggly for 1.69 and sealed them in jars and plastic seal wrap.
> I'm curious to see how long they last till stale..will take out a few every month or so.
> In the BOB now, too.
> 
> Rawhide--I just read your post-me too..a great test. Just hope we are here long enough to test them.


I heard somewhere a long time ago that lightly toasting stale items in the oven will revive them but I've never tried it. Worth a shot anyway. I'll have to try it with some of the baby's crackers & dry cereal that gets left out all day & goes stale.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*That used to be me!*



tsrwivey said:


> There will still be Cheetos at my house!


I used to be a major Cheetos fan. It was one of my junk food regulars. I have always loved salty snacks such as Doritos and potato chips.

I was always underweight as a kid and a younger adult. When that changed, I could no longer eat anything and everything I wanted. So I have worked to keep weight off, sometimes winning that battle, sometimes not.

I also grew up with there always being home baked goods in the house: cookies, cakes, pies, cinnamon rolls. I have always loved baking, cooking and trying new recipes. I have to be so careful now.

And if there is a chip, cheetah, or sweet in the house, it calls me until it is gone! Keeping anything like this in food storage is impossible for me.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

We all lived in a world of plenty ,very few people remember what it was like not to long ago and many fail to pass that knowledge or experiences to their children. Dented cans in the store shelves are push aside like if they have the plague, bread is dump just because the color of the string is different , and many go hungry even around the corner from Us. As a child and living without a refrigerator nothing was wasted we bought what was needed ,old bread was place behind the wood stove till crispy while all the ants run out of it , left over was turn into a delicious bread pudding just like I still do at home or fresh bread crumps, meat dry in salt or preserved in lard ,fish was also salted and dry ,in other words we never had more than we could eat . The tradition of cleaning the pantry every month or year is alive today, much goes in the trash just like frozen meats that stay in the back of the freezer .I still repeat what grandpa told Us; "Don`t eat more with your eyes than your mouth". In the proper storage condition cans will preserved the food for many years simple proper rotation is all that`s needed, buy what you and family eat ,and remember that what you wasted today may be what you need tomorrow.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

readytogo said:


> We all lived in a world of plenty ,very few people remember what it was like not to long ago and many fail to pass that knowledge or experiences to their children. Dented cans in the store shelves are push aside like if they have the plague, bread is dump just because the color of the string is different , and many go hungry even around the corner from Us. As a child and living without a refrigerator nothing was wasted we bought what was needed ,old bread was place behind the wood stove till crispy while all the ants run out of it , left over was turn into a delicious bread pudding just like I still do at home or fresh bread crumps, meat dry in salt or preserved in lard ,fish was also salted and dry ,in other words we never had more than we could eat . The tradition of cleaning the pantry every month or year is alive today, much goes in the trash just like frozen meats that stay in the back of the freezer .I still repeat what grandpa told Us; "Don`t eat more with your eyes than your mouth". In the proper storage condition cans will preserved the food for many years simple proper rotation is all that`s needed, buy what you and family eat ,and remember that what you wasted today may be what you need tomorrow.


Yeah, like on the third day of chili, add macaroni and it's not left overs any longer!:dunno:


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

*Macaroni and Cheese*

I have mac and cheese boxes, and other beef, chicken envelope dinners, alfredo, etc. in a huge cardboard box and found one bought 9/11 with a best by date 6/12.
I had a good dinner planned and really didn't need the dish, but thought why not?
First, remember the boxes 3/$1?? That's what this is.
It was actually really good. 
I make my own mac and cheese now, but when in a rush for dinner after work, did use the cheap boxes occasionally years ago.

So, don't throw that food away unless you check first for edibility. You may be surprised. 
The cupcake next door(moved here fall, 2015) is bringing me things that just passed the best by date by a week or month--I need to save these in a cardboard box and hand them to her when ________ (fill in the blank) happens.

Imagine!! 33¢ box of mac and cheese almost 6 years old...edible.


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## Danil54 (May 8, 2017)

I have worked for a grocery store for the last 9 years & it still amazes me how much food gets thrown out because of expiration dates. The produce is what really gets me. . . just don't understand why they can't give it to a local farmer that has pigs? That is considered a no-no cause of legal issues, but really. I do understand why. . . we live in a sue happy world.

I store plenty of long shelf items that store well to make from scratch items. Even canned my own dairy product from my Jersey, Betsey Lou. . cheese, milk & butter. Its healthier for you anyway, but with that said, I do have some of those quick box meals in my stockroom with long past expectation dates! Hadn't had a bad one yet. As for tin cans, if its not bulging, its edible, just get to it before it rust too bad. Home canned goods last for years. You'll get discoloring after a while and the nutrient levels go down after a couple years, but it will keep you from going hungry.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

I sent the links to my sister. She just sent back a text that said, and I quote.... "I'm not eating old food no matter what some stupid Internet story says.".


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I had food in storage that had to be used or thrown out between when this thread was originally posted and today.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

RevWC said:


> My Grandma would just cut off the mold and rot on any food and eat it. No dates involved..


I can eat food from cans or boxes that are out of date. Food that has mold or rot, I will not! I am a person who gets migraines frequently. I went to a headache clinic and found out not to eat food that was cooked more than 4 days ago. Mold is a big contributor to migraine headaches.


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

No mold for me, either, unless it's just a little on cheese. That, I'll cut off.

Canned meat way past expiration, I'll usually feed to the dogs. Otherwise, we eat it if the can looks good. I've never seen any of our cans look bad.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

I keep a sharp eye out for mold. I'm allergic to molds, some more than others so I just don't touch any of them. I start swelling after just touching some of them.


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