7 replies to this topic

[Sawad]

Hi All,

 

I have a doubt regarding the expiry date meaning. 

 

If the expiry date given is 05/2019, What does it mean.

 

Can I use the item till the end of May or I must remove it by the end of April. 

 

Some food packets comes with different types of expiry. 

As far i Know for medicines we can use till the end of that month, 

 

https://www.nhs.uk/c...-expiry-dates/ 

 

What about food items.. I Couldn't  find anything related to food. 

Edited by Sawad, 09 March 2019 - 02:09 PM.

[EagleEye]

Dear Sawad,

 

Afaik, the date represents the last day/month(apparently) in which the food is at its peak quality. 

The mentioned date in inclusive!

[Ryan M.]

The real answer is...It Depends.

 

Most manufacturers will be conservative on shelf-life and expiration or "best by" dates.  Typically, that'll be until the "peak quality", but that all depends on how the food is handled and stored.

 

When I'm a consumer I just use my senses...look, odor, taste.  It'll tell me if it is still ok or not.

 

To further complicate this some manufacturers, at least in the US, use "sell by" dates.  These are mainly for retailers to keep their stock "fresher" and rotate it for their consumers.

[zanorias]

How is the expiry worded? My factory usually gives life a specific day i.e. BB:14/06/20, but for some customers that require a month/year only format we use BBE (best before End) to signify it is suitable for use until the end of that month.

As consumers we can use self judgement in our own homes to indicate spoilage i.e. odour/appearance, however not so much the case in a business setting. If this is indeed a business setting I would query with the supplier/manufacturer to be sure.

[Sawad]

How is the expiry worded? My factory usually gives life a specific day i.e. BB:14/06/20, but for some customers that require a month/year only format we use BBE (best before End) to signify it is suitable for use until the end of that month.

As consumers we can use self judgement in our own homes to indicate spoilage i.e. odour/appearance, however not so much the case in a business setting. If this is indeed a business setting I would query with the supplier/manufacturer to be s

I know BBE, BB, Sell by all these are real simple, but when the manufactures give for example

PDT: 09/2017 EXP: 03/2019. I am confused. 

I am food safety officer in Hypermarket group, so my answers must be correct or else I would be giving wrong information to the staff there by  ending in displaying expired items in the shelf.

[moskito]

Dear Sawad,

 

EXP or BB 03/2019 means 31.03.2019, full month included (but can be used only if the shelf life is longer as...month (depends on the region having this rule of labelling mm/yy or ddmmyy like the EC)).

In some countries you have to print the production date (not in EC).

 

Rgds

moskito

[fadetoblack]

Hi All,

 

I have a doubt regarding the expiry date meaning. 

 

If the expiry date given is 05/2019, What does it mean.

 

Can I use the item till the end of May or I must remove it by the end of April. 

 

Some food packets comes with different types of expiry. 

As far i Know for medicines we can use till the end of that month, 

 

https://www.nhs.uk/c...-expiry-dates/ 

 

What about food items.. I Couldn't  find anything related to food. 

 

Hi, in my oppinion, (and as a consumer also) expiry date is May 1st.

 

For example, assume that, validated shelf life of your product is 12 months and produced at May 1st, 2018 (and printed expiry is 05/2019). If you use it until the end of May, shelf life will be 13 months.

It is better to print the "day" if possible.

[Tony-C]

To me it depends on the wording:

Best Before (BB) 05/2019 Means the product is best before 1st May 2019

Best Before End (BBE) 05/2019 Means the product is best before 31st May 2019

 

Many products are perfectly okay after their best before date (depending on local legislation such products are sold at a discount and customers made aware the best before date has expired).

 

Previously for some ingredients where it has been deemed to be low risk I have sought concessions from the supplier and tested the ingredient prior to use to ensure that it still met specification.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony