A quality date after which food may lose freshness but can still be legally sold and eaten if it remains fit.
A quality date after which food may lose freshness but can still be legally sold and eaten if it remains fit. A best-before date is a food quality date. It indicates the date up to which a food will retain its best quality, such as flavour, texture and colour, if stored correctly. After the best-before date the food may not be at its peak, but it is not necessarily unsafe. Foods with a longer shelf life, such as canned goods, biscuits, flour and many packaged staples, usually carry a best-before date. Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, best-before dates are covered by the date marking rules in Standard 1.2.5. Unlike food past its use-by date, food past its best-before date may still be sold, provided it is not damaged, deteriorated or perished and is otherwise fit for sale. Some products are exempt from date marking, such as bread with a shelf life of less than seven days, which may instead carry a baked-on or baked-for date. For a food business, best-before dates offer more flexibility than use-by dates. Stock that has passed its best-before date can still be sold or used if it remains in good condition, though many businesses mark it down, move it to the front for quick sale, or use it first to avoid waste. Judgement about quality still applies, and anything that looks off, is damaged or shows spoilage should be discarded. Best-before dates are still part of good stock control. Businesses rotate stock so items closest to their best-before date are used first, and record dates during goods receipt. It is worth remembering that a best-before date only guarantees quality up to that date when the product is stored as directed, so pantry and storeroom conditions matter. A cafe finds a sealed box of long-life crackers in the storeroom with a best-before date of last week. The crackers are undamaged, dry and within a sealed pack. The venue chooses to use them promptly in a cheese platter, which is permitted because a best-before date relates to quality rather than safety.
Frequently asked questions
Can food be sold after its best-before date?
Yes. Food past its best-before date may still be sold, provided it is not damaged, deteriorated or perished and remains fit for sale.
Is food safe to eat after the best-before date?
Often yes, if it has been stored correctly and remains in good condition. A best-before date is about quality, not safety, though quality may decline over time.
Which foods carry a best-before date?
Foods with a longer shelf life, such as canned goods, biscuits, flour, cereals and many packaged staples, generally carry a best-before date.
Do all foods need a date mark?
Most packaged foods with a shelf life of two years or less need a date mark, but there are exemptions, such as bread with a shelf life of less than seven days.
What is the difference between best-before and use-by?
A best-before date signals quality and food can still be sold and eaten after it if fit. A use-by date signals safety and food must not be sold or eaten after it.
