Food expiration dates printed on the can or package of food are not an infallible guarantee. It is a guess. It is an informed guess, and I think it is good guideline. Manufacturers generally perform due diligence and test the longevity of their packaging.

But it is still a guess. That is why many expiration dates are hedged with Best By dates. Those are the manufacturers’ best guesses as to how long the food inside will taste like it was meant to taste, with a fair degree of freshness. This is probably the most conservative guess for the longevity of the food’s wholesomeness. It is my opinion that manufacturers think that the food is probably safe to eat beyond that date, but do not want to promise that.

And here I want to stress that everything in this post is only my opinion. These are just some of my thoughts, and are not intended as any sort of guideline for anyone else.

In my opinion, Sell By dates cloud the issue of expiration. (more…)