What ‘Sell By,’ ‘Best Before’ And ‘Use By’ Dates Really Mean

Emily Broad Leib, director of Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic, recently spoke with Forbes.com contributor Eustacia Huen about expiration labels and the confusion surrounding them. The full article, What ‘Sell By,’ ‘Best Before’ And ‘Use By’ Dates Really Mean, can be read online.

Excerpt from article:

“Given there’s no federal regulation, consumers should be wary that these labels don’t necessarily offer a safe-to-eat date. ‘The reason companies are including dates at all comes from a valid business purpose in wanting consumers to eat food while the flavor is best,’ said the legal expert.

…At the end of the day, said Broad Leib, ‘This topic links to a broader sustainability issue, as people are throwing away foods that are perfectly safe.’”