A safety date after which food must not be sold or eaten, because it may become unsafe even if it looks fine.
A safety date after which food must not be sold or eaten, because it may become unsafe even if it looks fine. A use-by date is a food safety date. It marks the point after which a food may no longer be safe to eat, even if it looks, smells and tastes normal. Foods that carry a use-by date are typically perishable, potentially hazardous foods such as fresh meat, poultry, seafood, dairy and pre-made chilled meals, where harmful bacteria can grow to unsafe levels over time. Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, date marking sits in Standard 1.2.5. Food that has passed its use-by date must not be sold, and it is generally an offence to sell it. Consumers are advised not to eat food after its use-by date. The use-by date only holds if the food has been stored as directed on the label, so correct storage, usually refrigeration, is part of the guarantee. For an Australian food business, the use-by date is a hard limit. Any stock that reaches its use-by date must be pulled from sale and from the kitchen, and cannot be served to customers. Staff should check use-by dates when receiving deliveries, during stock rotation and before preparing food, so that nothing past date is used. Businesses commonly build use-by checks into opening and closing routines, and use First In, First Out rotation so older stock is used before newer stock. When food is decanted, portioned or prepared in-house, many venues apply their own labels with a made-on date and a use-by or use-within period based on their food safety program, rather than relying on the original packaging alone. A deli receives a delivery of fresh chicken schnitzels labelled with a use-by date of 14 July. On the morning of 15 July, a staff member finds two unsold packs still in the cool room. Because the use-by date has passed, the packs are removed and discarded rather than sold or cooked, even though they look and smell fine.
Frequently asked questions
Can food be sold after its use-by date?
No. Under Standard 1.2.5 of the Food Standards Code, food must not be sold after its use-by date, and doing so is generally an offence.
Is it safe to eat food after the use-by date if it looks fine?
No. A use-by date is about safety, not appearance. Harmful bacteria may be present at unsafe levels even when the food looks, smells and tastes normal, so it should not be eaten.
What is the difference between use-by and best-before?
A use-by date is about safety and food must not be eaten or sold after it. A best-before date is about quality, and food may still be sold and eaten after it if it is fit for consumption.
Does the use-by date apply if food is frozen?
The date on the label assumes storage as directed. If a label permits freezing, freezing before the use-by date can extend safe life, but businesses should follow the manufacturer instructions and their own food safety program.
Which foods carry a use-by date?
Perishable, potentially hazardous foods such as fresh meat, poultry, seafood, dairy and ready-to-eat chilled meals commonly carry a use-by date because they can become unsafe over time.
