If I open something that says it will expire 2 months from now, do I still have 2 months?

Question

Is the expiration date assuming that I will consume a product within a week or 2 after opening, and simply letting me know I have until 2 weeks before this date to open it...

Or is it saying that I can open this today, let air and whatever else that enters in, and it will still be good until the expiration date?

Or does it depend on the product?

Answer 1

Depends on what it is.

Exp. dates are manufacturers' dates so that they won't be sued by people if their product is bad.  If you consume the product after the date, they can say that you were at fault.  It's also a general time limit for how long they will insure the freshness and peak stability of the product.

However, there are time when exp dates can be overlooked.  I wouldn't worry too much about vitamins or even generic medicines.  The rules still apply for them, because of manufacturers' legal specifications.  But going a few weeks beyond a general product's exp date will not give you any harm.  However, fresh foods are much different, as they deteriorate extremely fast as compared to processed foods.  I have some antibiotic ointment (over the counter) that I keep using even when it's over ten years old, and it's still good.

But generally, it is much better to go with expiration dates because they are an industry standard of how good a product will last.

Answer 2

The expiration date is a guideline for when it will remain good while remaining unopened.  Once it is opened, the expiration date has nothing to do with how long it will take the food to go bad.  Once opened, use it within a reasonable amount of time.  Frequently, containers will also have an advisory statement like: "Once open, use within 7 days."  You can always test this by purchasing something with a 2-month expiration date, opening it the day you buy it, and leaving it in you fridge to see what happens to it in the next 2 months.

Answer 3

The expiration date is a guideline that must not be allowed to overrule common sense. It assumes that the product will be safe to eat if properly stored and cared for until the given date.  

Answer 4

Yes, unless you eat it all now, after opening it...then no problem?