FLPC Director Quoted in Nova Article on Food Date Labels

An August 10, 2016 article from PBS’ Nova Next examines commonly misunderstood food date labels. “Why Food Date Labels Don’t Mean What You Think,” by Kelsey Houston-Edwards, looks at common misconceptions held by consumers about labels such as “best by” and “expires on” and proposed legislation to standardize labels. 

 Excerpt from article:

“But there’s rarely reason to fret if your food is past date, says Emily Broad Leib, director of the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic. ‘There are a small handful of foods that shouldn’t be sitting in your refrigerator for such a long time—there is a safety risk. Whereas for all other foods it’s just about quality.’

Congress is currently considering a bill that would standardize food date labels and clearly distinguish manufacturer’s quality suggestions from scientifically based safety dates. It’s a simple fix that could save billions of dollars worth of food every year, and it would require almost no action on the part of consumers. Clarifying food date labels is the most cost effective way to combat food waste in the United States.”

Read “Why Food Date Labels Don’t Mean What You Think,” in full.