How to Be a Conscious Eater

high-risk is that they may harbor listeria, which unlike most

bacteria can grow under refrigeration.

To address consumer confusion and reduce waste, a bill was

introduced in Congress in 2016 called the Food Date Labeling

Act. It seeks to create a uniform national date labeling system

with just two labels: one for quality, i.e., “best if used by,” and

one for safety, i.e., “expires on.” Last I checked, the bill hadn’t

gained traction, but a two-label system making the important

quality-safety distinction would almost certainly cut down on

wasted food and wasted money.

Thankfully, most of the big food manufacturers have in the

meantime gotten on board with a two-date system of their

own, through voluntary guidelines. Put forward by their big

lobbying bodies, the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery

Manufacturers Association, the press release reads as follows:

The new voluntary initiative streamlines the myriad date

labels on consumer products packaging down to just two

standard phrases. “BEST If Used By” describes product

quality, indicating that the product may not taste or perform

as expected but is safe to use or consume. “USE By” applies

to the few products that are highly perishable and/or have

a food safety concern over time; these products should be

consumed by the date listed on the package—and disposed

of after that date.

It’s still not quite as straightforward as we consumers might

expect, but it makes a heck of a lot more sense than the ten dif-

ferent dates we’ve been scratching our heads at all these years.

LOOK IT UP: For lots of tricks on food storage, check

out the directory at savethefood.com, a public service

campaign sponsored by the Natural Resources

Defense Council and the Ad Council.

Stuff that Comes from Factories 207

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