Expiration Date

A date used to indicate how long a food item can remain on a shelf before it is no longer considered fresh or of a quality level sufficient to be sold to consumers. Expiration dates are most often used for fresh products with shorter shelf lives, such as milk, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, baked goods, and similar items that may spoil within days. Consumers should not purchase products displaying an Expiration Date that has passed the day it is being purchased, since the item has reached a point where it is to be removed from the store shelves. An Expiration Date may also be referred to as Should Not Purchase After Date, Use Before Date, or Use By Date.