The dates on food labels are among the most misunderstood pieces of information by European consumers. A study by WRAP (a British anti-waste organization) estimates that 20% of household food waste in the UK is directly caused by misinterpreting expiration dates: perfectly edible foods are thrown away because the date has passed, regardless of whether they've actually spoiled. The situation in Italy is similar. The distinction between the two labels is fundamental and is established by European regulations (EU Regulation 1169/2011).

"Use by" (short shelf life): the real expiration date

"Use by [date]" (or "use by and not after [date]") indicates the true expiration date: the limit beyond which the food should not be consumed for food safety reasons. After this date, the product can pose a health risk. It's used for: microbiologically perishable products: fresh meat, fresh fish, fresh dairy (mozzarella, ricotta, fresh milk), ready-to-eat products (bagged salads, cut fruit), some fresh juices. For these products: supermarkets cannot sell products past their use-by date (violation of food safety regulations), consumers must not consume them after the indicated date even if they appear normal (pathogenic bacteria don't always produce odors or visible changes). The danger from these foods after expiration is real: Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter cannot be detected by the senses in early stages.

"Best before" (shelf life): the quality date

"Best before [date]" indicates the date until which the manufacturer guarantees optimal organoleptic characteristics (taste, aroma, texture, color, nutritional value). After this date, the product isn't dangerous but may have lost some quality characteristics. It's used for: long-shelf-life products: dried pasta, rice, flour, biscuits, preserves, oil, UHT juices, UHT milk, honey, vinegar, chocolate, aged cheeses, frozen products, coffee. These products can be consumed well beyond the indicated date if stored correctly: dried pasta consumed 1-2 years after the best-before date is perfectly safe, perhaps with slight loss of aroma but still edible. Honey never expires in a biological sense (edible honey has been found in Egyptian tombs from 3,000 years ago). The confusion between the two labels is the main driver of waste in dry and long-shelf-life products.

Products without mandatory expiration dates

Not all foods are required to have a date on the label. In Europe, the following are exempt from the best-before requirement: wines, spirits and alcoholic beverages with more than 10% alcohol, vinegar, salt, solid sugar, baked goods and pastries to be consumed within 24 hours (fresh daily bread), chewing gum. For fresh bread: it's implicit that it's "fresh daily" and freshness is evaluated by the senses.

How to use your senses to evaluate edibility beyond the best-before date

For products labeled "Best before": look, smell, taste. Sight: presence of visible mold (always discard moldy foods: molds produce mycotoxins that penetrate the product even if not visible), unusual color changes, unusual phase separation. Smell: acidic, rancid, or foul odors: clear signs of spoilage. Taste (small sample): unusual acidity, rancid or "off" flavor: signs of spoilage. If none of these signs are present, the product is almost certainly edible. Category-by-category evaluation: yogurt, fresh milk, fresh cheese: 1-7 days beyond the date with sensory verification. Dried pasta, rice, flour: months or years beyond the date if stored away from moisture. Preserves and canned goods: years beyond the date if the container is intact (no swelling: potential botulism if swollen). Frozen foods: the date indicates optimal quality: safe for practically indefinite time if kept at -18°C.

Quick guide to dates by food category

Consume by the date (safety): fresh meat, fresh fish, fresh poultry, fresh mozzarella and fresh ricotta, fresh milk, ready-to-eat deli products (salads, cut vegetables). Consume preferably by the date (quality): all dry and long-shelf-life products. The date is a guide, not an order. No mandatory date: wine, vinegar, salt, sugar, honey, fresh daily bread. Sensory evaluation: for all medium-shelf-life dairy products (yogurt, semi-hard cheeses, cream), 1-5 days beyond the date with visual and olfactory verification are normally safe if stored in the refrigerator at the correct temperature.

The supermarket problem: waste upstream of the home

Italian supermarkets are required by law (DL 166/2016, the "Gadda Law") to donate unsold foods approaching their expiration date instead of throwing them away. The law reduced the tax cost of donations for businesses by incentivizing transfers to charitable organizations (Food Bank, Caritas, Solidarity Stores). The result: food donations from large retailers have increased significantly since 2016. But much still ends up in landfills or biogas due to logistical delays or lack of receiving facilities. As a consumer, you can support this system by buying products approaching their expiration date (often discounted 30-50%) when you find them in the dedicated supermarket section: you reduce waste and save money.

How to talk about expiration dates with children

Teaching children to evaluate food quality with their senses instead of blindly relying on label dates is one of the most useful practical lessons in food education. Practical activity: take a yogurt jar expired 3 days ago and one that's fresh. Open both. Look, smell, taste (in small amounts, with supervision). What's the difference? Probably none. Then try fresh milk expired 5 days ago: here you'll notice the sensory difference. This exercise builds a direct and trusting relationship with food based on actual evaluation rather than the label—a valuable skill for life.