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Food labeled past its best-by date is not automatically unsafe, according to experts interviewed by Good Housekeeping; the date generally signals a change in freshness or quality. Safety depends on the food, its packaging and storage, and signs of spoilage, while infant formula and perishable foods warrant particular care.
A Good Housekeeping report says food does not automatically become unsafe when it passes its best-by date, but experts caution that the label, food type, storage conditions and signs of spoilage all matter. The guidance comes as confusing packaging dates contribute to avoidable food waste, and California has moved to ban sell-by dates on most food packaging, according to the report.
Food safety and policy expert Dr. Darin Detwiler distinguishes between labels that shoppers often treat as interchangeable. A sell-by date is aimed at retailers managing stock rotation, he says; it is not, by itself, a deadline telling consumers that food is unsafe. A best-by date generally indicates when a product may begin losing freshness. The report says use-by or freeze-by dates are intended to indicate a food’s safety date under the legislation it references.
Many shelf-stable foods, including canned goods, bottled products, jerky and dry grains such as rice and flour, are typically safe after a best-by date if they have been stored properly and show no signs of spoilage. Good Housekeeping Chief Food Director Kate Merker advises discarding cans that are dented, rusted or bulging. She says she uses intact canned beans and tomatoes beyond their dates, while warning that safety does not guarantee good taste or texture.
Nutrition Director Stefani Sassos, a registered dietitian, recommends checking for visible mold, unusual odors, flavors or textures and paying attention to how food was handled and stored. The report singles out infant formula as a product for which the date should not be ignored. For meat, poultry and dairy, Sassos advises close attention to spoilage signs, including off odors, discoloration and sliminess. When food seems questionable, the experts’ advice is not to take a chance.
Date Labels Shape Household Waste
The advice matters because date labels can lead consumers to discard food that may still be safe, while confusion over labels is linked to a substantial amount of waste. The report cites an estimate of nearly 120 billion pounds of food wasted each year in the United States and a ReFED study finding that confusion about packaging labels may account for up to 7 percent of U.S. food waste. Those figures concern different measures: the first is an annual total, while the second is a share attributed to label confusion.
Clearer distinctions can help shoppers avoid treating a retailer’s stock-rotation date as a safety warning. But the experts’ advice is not a blanket assurance that food is safe after a printed date. Storage, packaging and the kind of food remain relevant, and the cost of getting that judgment wrong can be serious. The report’s guidance balances reducing waste with discarding food when there are credible signs of spoilage or when a product has a more safety-focused date.
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Sell-By Labels Under Scrutiny
The report says California recently became the first state to ban sell-by dates on most food packaging, with reducing food waste given as a reason. Other states have introduced bills or similar initiatives intended to simplify date labels. The source does not specify the California law’s effective date or provide details about how the change will be implemented.
Detwiler describes sell-by labels as instructions for retailers rather than consumers. Best-by labels, by contrast, communicate when freshness may start to decline, not necessarily when a product becomes unsafe. That difference is central to the experts’ advice: a date label needs to be read alongside the food’s storage history and condition, rather than treated as a single universal rule.
““It’s most important to use common sense and check for signs of spoilage.””
— Stefani Sassos, Good Housekeeping nutrition director
Safety Depends on Food and Storage
The report does not provide a single time limit for eating every food after its best-by date, and it does not establish that any particular item is safe based on its date alone. How long food was stored, whether packaging was opened or damaged, and the product itself can affect safety and quality. Sight, smell and taste may help identify spoilage, but the article does not offer a guarantee that sensory checks can detect every food safety risk.
The cited material also does not give specific storage temperatures or a detailed schedule for when perishable foods should be discarded. Its advice is to store and handle foods properly, pay close attention to meat, poultry and dairy, and avoid consuming infant formula past its date. The precise reach and implementation timing of California’s labeling change are not detailed in the source.
Watch Label Policy Changes
Consumers can apply the report’s guidance now by distinguishing retailer-facing sell-by dates from best-by labels, checking packaging and signs of spoilage, and following the date on infant formula. Perishable foods need careful handling and storage; a best-by date alone should not replace food-specific safety advice.
At the policy level, California’s change and proposals in other states may alter how date information appears on packaging. The source reports those developments but gives no schedule for further state action. Any impact on consumer understanding and food waste remains to be established.
Key Questions
Does food become unsafe as soon as its best-by date passes?
No. The report says a best-by date generally concerns freshness, and food is not automatically unsafe once it has passed. Safety still depends on the product, its packaging and how it was stored.
What does a sell-by date mean?
According to food safety and policy expert Darin Detwiler, a sell-by date is for retailers’ stock rotation. It is not, by itself, a consumer deadline for eating or discarding the food.
Which foods may be safe after a best-by date?
Shelf-stable foods such as dry grains, canned goods, bottled products and jerky are typically safe beyond a best-by date when properly stored and the packaging is intact. A dented, rusted or bulging can should be discarded.
Which foods need extra caution?
The report says not to ignore the date on infant formula. For meat, poultry and dairy, check carefully for spoilage signs such as unusual odors, discoloration or a slimy texture, and consider how the food has been stored.
Can you tell whether food is safe by smelling or tasting it?
Experts recommend checking for visible mold, off odors, unusual flavors and texture changes, alongside the packaging and storage history. The report does not say these checks can guarantee safety, so discard food when it seems questionable.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
