For the exception of infant formula, food expiration dates are not required by federal law. Some states require particular products to carry “use by” dates or “sell before” dates. These dates are actually not for the consumer, but are mainly for the retailer to judge when a product should be pulled from the shelf. “Open dating” is used for perishable items. Once this date has past, the quality of the food may diminished, but it is not an absolute “expiration date,” for the product. If proper refrigeration has occurred, most perishable items will be consumable beyond the stamped date. “Closed/coded dates” are used for shelf stable items, such as rice…
