Author: Jenifer Sako / Source: did you know?
A recent study published by the journal Waste Management revealed something disturbing. Their survey of 1000 people showed how labels such as “best by,” or “use by,” caused significant confusion around how long certain foods are safe to eat.
Americans are throwing away totally edible food just because they don’t understand what “best by” and “use by” actually mean.
Labels like these are not required by any federal law. Food companies use these labels, voluntarily, to guide both the consumer and retailers as to food freshness.
The labels have nothing to do with food safety. The only time the USDA requires a label is if the food is “dangerous” to consume after a certain date. Yet, 84% of consumers have, at least sometimes, tossed food that is close to the date stamped on the package.
“Best by” means that the food is freshest and tastiest right at, or before, the indicated…
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