Best Before vs Use By

Have you ever wondered about the difference between the best before and use-by dates? You’re not alone. Many people have the same question. Don't fret! We’re going to break down the differences for you.

Understanding use-by dates

A use-by date indicates when a food should be eaten by for health and safety reasons. It is crucial to follow this date as foods eaten beyond the use-by date might have harmful levels of bacteria or mould and could cause sickness such a food poisoning. Even cooking or freezing won’t help at this point,  the item needs to be thrown away.

Use-by dates are usually added to foods that have a short shelf life and would be considered high risk when expired. Some common examples include milk, meat, fish and bread.

Things to remember about foods with use-by dates:

• Check perishable foods regularly for signs of expiration.
• Store food as instructed to help ensure it lasts until the use-by date.
• Expired food won’t always look or smell bad; it’s better to be safe than sorry if the use-by date has passed.

Understanding best before dates

Best before dates are used to indicate the optimal quality of a product and are a useful guide to determine how long a product will be at its best . Food that has passed its best before date is generally safe to eat, however you may notice a change in the flavour, texture and colour. There may also be a decrease in nutritional quality.

Best before dates are usually added to foods that have a longer shelf life such as pasta, rice and some canned food. These dates can also be seen on some fruit and vegetable packaging to indicate the ideal time to consume.

Things to remember about foods with best before dates:

• Products such as tinned, dried and frozen foods that are shelf stable will feature a best before date.
• Foods that can last for two years or longer may not have a best before date marked on them. E.g. baked beans
• Ideally try to finish all foods marked best before as close to the date as possible.