When purchasing any food or drink product in the UK, you will see either best-before or use-by dates printed on the label. It is easy to overlook what these labels truly mean and how they affect the product inside the packaging. However, understanding them is vital for keeping food safe and reducing waste. There are serious risks if food is stored for too long or at the wrong temperature.
Food may contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Since some items deteriorate over time in a way that creates a food risk, the difference between the labels is extremely important. A use-by date relates to food safety, while a best-before date is about food quality.
What is a Use-By Date?
This label is all about safety and is the most important date to remember. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) warns: "Never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok, as it could make you very ill." A use-by date label will feature a date but not a time to consume it by. The FSA advises that the food can be eaten until midnight on the use-by date shown, but not after, unless it has been cooked or frozen.
Use-by dates are typically found on food that goes off quickly, such as meat products or salads. However, for the use-by date to be effective, you must also follow the correct storage instructions. If the food label says to refrigerate after opening, you should keep it in the fridge at 5°C or below. Food can be cooked until midnight of the use-by date, then cooled and kept in the fridge.
The FSA added: "This is because cooking kills any pathogens in the food and gives you a little more time to use it up. You must eat the food within 48 hours or freeze it to eat later. If you freeze the food, make sure that you label what it is and the date it was frozen. Once the use-by date has passed, don't eat, cook or freeze the food."
What is a Best-Before Date?
A best-before date is sometimes shown as BBE on the product label. Instead of safety, it is about quality. Once the best-before date has passed, the food will still be safe to eat but may not be at its best. This type of labelling is usually found on frozen foods, dried foods, tinned foods, and cheese. The FSA said: "The best before date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the packaging."
