How are expiration dates determined in the items we consume?

Question

In items such as food, drink, and medication?

Answer 1

"The Dating Game"  

by Consumer Reports  

  

"Use By," "Best if Used By," or "Quality Assurance" - The last date the product is likely to be at peak flavor and quality. Often placed on foods such as cereal. It doesn't mean the food is unsafe after that date.  

  

"Sell By," or "pull" - An indication, to the retailer, of the last day on which a product should be sold. It takes into account time for the food to be stored and used at home. You should be able to use milk, for example, for up to about seven days after the sell-by date.  

  

"Expiration" - For most foods, this is the last date on which they should be eaten or used. Eggs are an exception. You should be able to use them safely for the next three to five weeks.  

  

"Born on" - Initiated by Anhueser-Busch, its beer is freshest within 110 days from the born-on date.  

  

Other foodwise info - As a rule, high-acid canned foods like tomatoes can be stored on shelves for 12 to 18 months. Properly stored low-acid canned foods like meat, fish and most vegetables will keep two to five years. But don't use a can that is bulging. If perishable foods are packaged and frozen properly, they will be safe to eat after the expiration date, although the food may suffer freezer burn if it's stored for a long time.  



Do expiration dates really matter?

Clark is obsessive about looking at pull dates on medicines and food items. If he’s buying over-the-counter medicine or milk, he always looks for the one with the latest pull date. The diet drink sweetener in most drinks – aspartame – breaks down chemically and turns the drink pretty rancid tasting. But when do these dates really matter? Consumer Reports looked into the subject and determined that when something says “expiration,” you should pay attention to it. If it says “use by,” don’t pay any attention to it. “Use by” means something is okay to consume that item after that date, but it will be freshest before that date. What about “pull date?” That is an old expression often used in retail that means it’s the last time something should be on the shelves. Some supermarkets will let you have an item for free if it’s past the sell date. It’s okay to buy the item, but it’s not going to be good for much longer than a week The opposite is true for high fructose syrup-heavy soft drinks. They last a long time. What about beer? You’ve probably seen the “born on” labels on beer, and they do offer some good information. After about three months, beer usually doesn’t taste the same so you may want to toss it. So, you’ve got “use by,” “sell by,” and “expiration” to think about. The one exception on “expiration” is over-the-counter medicines. Pharmaceutical companies make up the “pull date” on those. It’s a marketing technique to get you to throw away old medicines and buy new ones. These medicines are good for much, much longer than the date indicates.

Answer 2

Scientific tests, research and good old fashioned "leave it on the counter until it doesn't look edible anymore"!!

Answer 3

spin of the wheel