Food labelling

oranges

What is the difference between a ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ date?

Most pre-packed foodstuffs must carry an indication of minimum durability. This is better known as either a 'best before' date or a 'use by' date.

These date marks must be in a prominent place on the label. If this is difficult the manufacturer must state where the date can be found, for example best before: see date on lid.

It's an offence for unauthorised person to change date marks. Manufacturers are the only authorised people to do this.

Use by

‘Use by’ means exactly that.

You shouldn't eat any food product that has passed its ‘use by’ date, because it may not be safe to eat. Even if the food looks and smells fine, using it after this date could put your health at risk and cause food poisoning. It's an offence for food business operators to sell or have on their premises exposed for sale any product after its ‘use by’ date.

The Food Labelling Regulations (NI) 1996 requires that a ‘use by’ rather than a ‘best before’ date is used on those pre-packed foods 'which, from a microbiological point of view, are highly perishable and are therefore likely after a short period to constitute an immediate danger to human health'.

Foods that have to be stored at low temperatures to maintain their safety rather than their quality need to be labelled with ‘use by’ dates. They'll have a short product life following manufacture, and consuming them after their use by date could cause food poisoning.

You'll usually find a ‘use by’ date on food that goes off quickly, such as: It's also important to follow the storage instructions on food labels, otherwise the food might not last until the ‘use by’ date. Usually food with a ‘use by’ date must be kept in the fridge.

For more information on use by dates, visit the Food Standards Agency website

Best before

‘Best before’ dates are usually used on foods that last a long time, such as: ‘Best before’ dates are more about quality than safety.

It should be safe to eat food after the ‘best before’ date, but the food won't be at its best. After this date, the food might begin to lose its flavour and texture.

A 'best before' date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the label, such as 'store in a cool dry place' or 'keep in the fridge once opened'.

It's not an offence under the Food Labelling Regulations to sell food passed it's 'best before' date. However, it may be an offence under Section 14 of the Food Safety Order 1991 as the food may not be of the 'quality demanded by the purchaser'.

The retailer is responsible for making sure that food sold hasn't deteriorated beyond the point acceptable to the consumer. It's an offence to sell food not of the 'quality demanded'.

For further guidance on best before dates, visit the Food Standards Agency’s Eatwell website

Exemptions

Certain foods don't have to be marked with a 'use by' or 'best before' date.

These are: