Food Expiry Date Labelling

Food is essentially made up of tissues and substances produced by living organisms and, like them, undergoes an inevitable process of deterioration over time. The main processes responsible for food spoilage are microbial growth and non-biological chemical reactions of the substances that make up the food.

Consuming spoiled food can have negative health consequences. While most foodborne illnesses cause mild symptoms, in some cases they can be very serious and even fatal. Even if food consumed after its date is not harmful to health, it may be defective and lack optimal quality. On the other hand, misunderstanding the shelf life dates of food can lead us to throw away products that are still safe to eat, resulting in unnecessary economic and environmental waste.

The minimum shelf life of a food product is the time during which it is safe for human consumption and maintains its specific characteristics so that it is desirable or acceptable to the consumer. These quality characteristics can be sanitary, physical, chemical, or purely gastronomic.

The food industry determines the shelf life of each type of food through procedures that include studying the particular characteristics of the product and its manufacturing process. Then, storage conditions are simulated and the product is analysed at various time points. With this data, reliable models of food evolution are created to estimate its expected shelf life. The date printed on the label is shorter than the estimated shelf life, to provide a safety margin.

REGULATIONS

In the European Union, food durability labelling is regulated by Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on food information to consumers. The manufacturer is required to indicate the minimum durability date of a food product on the label and to do so following specific and detailed rules. This date can be expressed in two ways:
“Best before” or “Use by”.

For frozen products, the “date of freezing” must be indicated.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) also provides its own guidance on date labelling and related food information. (Downloadable document at the end of the article.)

There are other unofficial terms whose use is not recommended as they may confuse consumers or even contradict the legislation, such as packaging date, manufacturing date, shelf life, commercial life, marketing time, or shelf duration.

Some foods are exempt from the requirement to display a minimum durability date, either because time does not affect their safety, due to the difficulty of labelling the sales unit, or because consumers tend to reject them based on quality changes well before they become unsafe. Foods excluded from the requirement to indicate a minimum durability date include:

• Fresh, unprocessed fruit and vegetables

• Wines and alcoholic beverages with at least 10% alcohol

• Daily baked bread and pastries

• Vinegar

• Salt

• Solid sugars

• Individual portions of ice cream

• Confectionery products such as coloured sugars and chewing gum

DIFFERENCES: USE-BY DATE VS. BEST-BEFORE DATE

The use-by date refers to food safety, whereas the best-before date refers to food quality.

Use-by date

Some foods are highly perishable from a microbiological point of view, and spoilage can pose a health risk to the consumer. These foods must be consumed before the use-by date, as there is no guarantee of safety beyond that point. They cannot be sold or consumed after that date.

Foods typically requiring a use-by date include fresh products and semi-preserved items such as meat, fish, dairy products, unpasteurized juices, and chilled prepared meals.

Best-before date

Foods where microbial growth is unlikely do not present the same issues, and are generally safe for longer. However, their quality may deteriorate over time, even if safety does not. Consumption after the best-before date is generally safe from a health standpoint, but sensory properties (taste, smell, appearance, texture) may have declined. For commercial reasons, these products are not sold after their best-before date, but the consumer can often eat them safely.

Foods typically labelled with a best-before date include canned goods, dry foods, and frozen products.

The stated shelf life is valid only if the storage conditions indicated by the manufacturer are respected. If not, the food’s durability is reduced and the printed dates cannot be trusted. This does happen in practice. However, the consumer is often unable to verify whether the storage conditions were properly maintained at all times.

Consumers should also follow the usage instructions provided by the manufacturer on the label regarding handling, defrosting, cooking, and other procedures.

To consume food safely, consumers can adopt simple good practices:

• Strictly follow the manufacturer’s storage and handling recommendations.

• Before consumption, check that the product retains its typical appearance, texture, and smell.