'Sell by,' 'best by' and 'use by' dates can be confusing; here's how to make sense of them

Dec 11, 2024

Federal regulations do not require product dating labels except for infant formula, and state regulations vary widely, creating confusion about what 'sell by,' 'best by' and 'use by' dates mean. Most are not indicators of whether food is safe to eat. Rather, they are used for store inventory purposes or to determine when products taste the best.