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Food packaging?

Food packaging:  What are the meanings of; Expires on DATE; Best if used by DATE; Do not sell after DATE. Is there really a difference. ?  20 year old Twinkies still taste the same as if you bought them yesterday, in my opinion.

8 Answers

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  • 4 months ago

    no food in the US except baby food and baby formula has an actual expiration date. Best if used by is a taste and freshness thing. Sell by is for the store...why would sell by have anything to do with the consumer?

  • 4 months ago

    Except for Born On (date of manufacture) most of those dates have little meaning. Great article in the NYTimes explains food dates:

    https://www.nytimes.com/article/expiration-dates-c...

  • Anonymous
    4 months ago

    No food “expires” and I doubt you'll find any labelling claiming or implying that it does.

    A “best before” or “best by” (which doesn't really makes sense) means EXACTLY what it says - the manufacturer claims the product is at it's best before that date (usually the product is fine long after that date.

    I've never ever come across a, “do not sell after...” date but that is obviously a form of stock control for the benefit of the seller.

  • Anonymous
    4 months ago

    No food "expires" except baby formula.

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  • 4 months ago

    twinkies taste the same because they have no nutritional value in them -- even bacteria avoid them!

    the dates are often a marketing ploy to guarantee planned obsolescence.

  • Anonymous
    4 months ago

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  • kswck2
    Lv 7
    4 months ago

    Those dates are more to limit the company Liabilities than anything else. If the food is still good, just eat it. 

  • ?
    Lv 7
    4 months ago

    All those dates mean - If the product is rotten, poor quality, tastes off then TOOOO BAAAD for you the company will not have any reason to compensate you for you dissatisfaction.

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