What's The Difference Between Best Before and Use By Dates?
11:43 am
As highlighted by Liz Redmond, Head of Hygiene and
Microbiology at the FSA, ‘There is a lot of confusion among customers about
date marks’. This is unfortunate for customers, but can be disastrous for
businesses. Even ASDA fell afoul of food date guidance in November last year,
being fined a cool £75,000 in the process. In short, you need to get your facts straight.
Use by dates:
Use by = Safety
It is therefore absolutely vital to monitor your food’s use
by dates. If you are repackaging perishable foods such as meat or dairy into
portions, attach Vogue removable Use By labels to safely monitor your food.
Use by dates are only valid if food has been stored
properly. Nearly every food with a use by date requires refrigerating, but can
be frozen up until this date. Always follow the storage instructions on the
food, where given.
Best before dates:
Best Before = Quality
Help monitor the best before dates of food which you cook or
prepare by using removable colour coded day labels. These help quickly identify
which food needs to be used first.
Display until dates
Display until = Retail advice
‘Sell by’ or ‘display until’ dates are not required by law
and are supposed to be used by retailers. Caterers and food producers do not
need to worry about these dates. These products will still have a ‘Use By’ date
and it is this date, subject to the correct storage practices, which you need
to pay attention to.
Just remember that if you are selling pre-packaged food
which gives a sell by date, customers are highly unlikely to buy it at full
price past this date!
First in, first out
Introducing or maintaining a strict first in, first out
system can be a huge help when managing the use by dates of your food. ‘Use
this first’ labels can help you prioritise consumption, whilst frequently
reviewing and reorganising your fridges and storage spaces is also important.
My years of experience working in pubs and restaurants means I am always interested in the latest industry trends. If I’m not exploring interesting new eateries, I’m trying to mimic them at home!
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