Food expiration labels are confusing. The FDA wants to change that

[ad_1]

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Americans are struggling with the many food labels and their meaning for years. Sell by, better by and better if used by – what are the differences?

Now the Food and Drug Administration wants to make things easier. In a new directive released Thursday, he urged the industry to group food labels into one standard: Best if it is used by.

The FDA explains that the confusion surrounding these labels is contributing to Americans throwing $ 161 billion worth of food every year. That's about 20% of consumer food waste at home.

"This is not surprising if we consider the variety of terms used with date labels, such as using before, selling before, expiring, etc.," he says. in a statement.

A "better if used by" label on packaged foods will be helpful if the date is simply linked to optimal quality – and not to safety.

"Studies have shown that this best indicates to consumers that these products should not be discarded after the date they are stored properly," says the FDA.

She hopes that over time, the number of different date labels will decrease as the industry adopts the better label if used by. "

Manufacturers apply date labels at their own discretion for a variety of reasons.

"The most common is to inform consumers and retailers of when they can expect food to maintain the desired quality and flavor.The main exception to this general rule is infant formula." Use "until the day the manufacturer has confirmed that the product contains not less than a minimum amount of each nutrient identified on the product label and that the product will be of a quality acceptable, "says the FDA.

Through research, we have found that consumers are wasting edible food because of the confusion of the date tags. We are trying to solve this problem. Read our #FDAVoices to learn more. https://t.co/1dNmzOHeBQ

– Dr. Ned Sharpless (@FDACommissioner) May 23, 2019

Although the labels "best if used by" relate to the quality of the product, predicting when a food is not good enough to eat is not an exact science.

Consumers should routinely review food items that have an expiry date in their kitchen cabinet or pantry to determine if they are good enough to consume. If the products have changed in color, consistency or texture, consumers should avoid consuming them, says the FDA.

Related stories