1. Best if used by
If we go by food experts, the idea behind the dates on the food packets is nothing more but the manufacturer’s suggestion about when a product might taste freshest. The content saying ‘best if used by’ has actually the literal meaning, where the manufacturer indicates that the food will be fresh in taste if used by the specific date. Having said that, it never means that the food can’t make you fall sick. The dates are not arbitrary and are mentioned keeping the shelf-life of the ingredients used in it.
2. Expiration dates
The text indicating expiration dates are actually meant to be as a suggestion for the last date when you can consume food.
3. Intended for standardization
The shelf-life of any food item is determined by various parameters including bacteria levels, taste, and texture. So, the dates mentioned on the packet are rather a holistic approach towards interpreting how long the food will not have any bacterial reaction inside and will be fresh in taste and texture. For manufacturers, it is no less than a challenge in indicating safety or quality as it is altogether determined by many different conventions and labeling styles.
4. Less food wastage
Apart from the nutritional perspective of the food, the other reason behind putting the expiry date and best use before is to minimize the food wastage.
Verdict
In simple words, there are too many variables involved in making and labeling of a food item. So, defining its expiration on a few parameters is not fair. Though we all think that there’s a quantifiable date that can define when food will go bad, but in reality, it’s a tough job to be justified and that’s the truth about food expiration dates.
