4/22/2021 0 Comments Food Expiration Cheat Sheet
If the food smells weird, has a bad flavor, or has an odd texture, its likely the food has spoiled and should no longer be eaten.
Food Expiration Cheat Sheet How To Read FoodAlthough examining the food for signs of spoilage is one way to check its quality, understanding how to read food expiration date codes ensures that you can always determine where food is at in its lifespan.With open dating expiration dates, you only have to read the date to know when the food expires.However, with closed coded expiration dates, you must understand the procedures typically followed by food manufacturers. However, you may also find it on items with longer shelf lives, including so-called nonperishable items. An open dating expiration code reads exactly as its written. An open dating expiration code is written as and reads as a calendar date. For example, if a gallon of milk has a best by date of 123019, you should read this as December 30, 2019. The Closed Coded Expiration Code A closed coded expiration code is a little trickier to read as it consists of letters and numbers that identify when the manufacturer produced the item. Closed coded expiration codes are used by the manufacturer to assist with inventory tracking, and procedures vary with different companies. In some closed coded expiration dates, letters are used to signify months. For example, A corresponds to January, B indicates February, C means March, and so on. After the letter, numbers are typically used to indicate the date and the year. Some closed coded systems use the entire calendar when denoting the day; this means that they use a number for each day of the year, up to 365, so C6019 would read March 1, 2019. Some companies use numbers to label the first nine months of the year and then use letters for the last three months of the year. If the company follows this model, the last three months are labeled using the letter that the month begins with (O for October, N for November, and D for December). A date that reads O3119 indicates an expiration date of October 31, 2019. Its also possible for the company to use all numerals for the date. ![]() Understanding Variation in Language Used for Expiration Date Codes Many open dating expiration codes have verbiage in front of the given date. Some of the most commonly used phrases include: Best if used by or before: Indicates that the food has optimal quality and flavor prior to this date. It doesnt mean that the food is unsafe to eat after this date. Sell-by: The date by which the retailer should offer the product for sale. Use-by: Provides the last date that the product has peak quality Freeze-by: The data you should freeze food by to preserve optimal quality One exception to these guidelines is infant formula. The nutrients in the formula begin to degrade after this point and may not offer all the nutrients that your baby needs. Guidelines for Using Food After the Expiration Date Most foods are safe to consume after their expiration date, although the flavor and quality may not be optimal.
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