Food Expiration Dates: How to Tell if Your Food Is Safe to Eat

There are multiple ways to determine if that carton of milk in your fridge should be thrown out (smell test, taste test or just checking the expiration date). But what’s the best way to figure out if your food should be tossed or saved?

Expiration dates may seem like an easy way to tell when to throw out food, but for many couples or roommates, sharing a fridge and abiding by the “sell-by” date can lead to an argument.

It turns out that in most cases, an expiration date isn’t an automatic warning sign that the food is likely spoiled.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the “sell-by” date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. It doesn’t mean the product has gone bad once it reaches the expiration date.

A “best if used by” date actually has nothing to do with spoilage. In this case, the date is recommended for flavor or quality standards. So a canned item like soup with a “best if used by” date might be safe to eat long after the date passes, but expect a little less flavor with each passing day.

There are no federal requirements for putting expiration dates on food, except for infant formula. A “use by” date indicates the last date of the product’s peak quality. In the case of infant formula, using a product after the “use by” date can mean there are less nutrients and the quality may have degraded so that the formula separates or clogs.

Dr. Michael Hansen, senior staff scientist with Consumers Union, a consumer trade group, told ABC News that expiration dates don’t give much indication if a product has spoiled or not.

“What most people think is that the food is bad after that date,” Hansen said, “that it could be a hazardous.”

The USDA has guidelines on how long to keep perishable items in the fridge here. The guidelines should be followed regardless of the “sell-by” date. Food with a “use-by” date shouldn’t be consumed after that date passes.