What Does The Label "Best If Used By" On Food Products Mean?

fmdog44

fmdog44

Well-known Member
Location
Houston, Texas
Yesterday I saw this statement on a jar of mayo at Walmart and the date was Oct. 2017. I have seen dates like this at other stores so it got me thinking. I went on the FDA website and the definition read as follows,"...indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date". So, OK but I question the use of the term "quality" in this definition. It could be interpreted in many ways. So I am going to look for this note on every jar and bottle from now on not out of concern for the safety rather for the freshness of the contents.
 

In the UK ''Use By'' means to be consumed by the date or risk the item being off, or poisonous, particularly when it comes to poultry, fish, meat and cooked meats ... ''best before'' means the quality of the item could be compromised if not used by the date, but it's unlikely to kill you.. so for example tinned or packet items from the shelves rather than the chilled or frozen areas..
 
I doubt that there is much risk in eating something that is a few days or weeks beyond its "best by" date...especially canned or sealed package food....fresh meat and poultry might be the primary exception. Around here, we have a lot of Amish and Mennonite people, and the grocery stores routinely put the "outdated" foods in carts, and those people snap up those bargains....and they are among the healthier people in the area.
 

We definitely watch "Expiration Date" and/or "Use By" date. Why? When it comes to food, a Senior has to REALLY watch the date due to sickness. Our stomachs at this age can't handle past dated food like we possibly could years upon years ago. My past experience comes from a few years with EMS and working for a Senior Healthcare Company. The only exception, is bread. "Day Old" bread, one day after "Use By" date, is good for French Toast.

Just saying that at our age, wife/70 and me/almost 69, the old tummy doesn't digest food that easily anymore AND if we do "take a chance" and eat something that has expired, will it send us to the ER? Could.
 
I wouldn't buy a product like that mayonnaise at Walmart after its "best if used by" date, but I have been known to use things from my pantry, refrigerator or freezer after the use-by date. Mayonnaise would not be among the things I would go ahead and use because it's perishable and it contains eggs and oil that could become rancid. I would have called that mayo at Walmart to someone's attention. It shouldn't have been on the shelves.

I store quite a few things in my freezer and don't hesitate to use them after their use-by date. I'm talking about flour, beans and whole grains that don't spoil like perishables. I use yeast after its date, but I always test it before using it. I know how long I've had things in my refrigerator or freezer and I know they have been kept at a constant temperature.

If I know I'm not going to use eggs before their use-by date, I coat them in oil. The only difference I've ever noticed is that the whites tend to be a little runnier; not a big deal.

https://www.thespruce.com/expiration-use-sell-by-dates-1807827
 
I wouldn't buy it at full price.

IMO the best by date helps food companies limit liability and helps to increase sales to folks that toss food items when they reach that date.

I take the date into account but I trust my own sense to decide what is spoiled by the look, smell, taste, etc...

If I'm in doubt I chuck it out, a new bottle of mayonnaise is cheaper than a trip to the emergency room.
 

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