xtry51
NES Member
I'm starting this thread to get some people's actual experience with keeping store bought foods long term and actually using them to confirm good/bad. I'm always searching around for real life examples rather than anecdotal evidence and it seems hard to come by.
I'd like to keep this solely to prepackaged foods and not bulk personal mylar/bucket or home canned goods. Please post pictures if possible. Hopefully people can contribute and his will help others who are starting out decide where to start and what to expect. I'll post here as we cycle through our stores. Hopefully others with well established pantries will join in. If it takes off I'll ask the mods to make it a sticky.
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The FDA requires certain types of dates on certain products. Like many things the government does it is seemingly without rhyme or reason. Both "Sell By" and "Use By" dated goods must be removed from the market by retailers once the date expires. Not doing so can result is seizure and prosecution by the FDA. The FDA and food laws are very much like gun laws in that they are seemingly randomly enforced and redefined at the whim of the issuing agency. If you'd like to raise your blood pressure and waste a few hours/days/years of your life pleas go ahead and visit the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/Food/default.htm. Below I paraphrase what the basic premises are of each type.
Dates On Food Abridged:
Sell By: Required by FDA. This date tells the store how long to keep the item on their shelves. If it reaches the date before its sold, the store will pull it from the shelves. It represents the last day the food is at its peak quality of freshness, taste, and consistency. It will still be safe to eat after the Sell By Date. Milk is a typical example.
Best If Used By: Required by FDA. This merely refers to when the quality of the item starts to go downhill in taste as defined by the manufacturer. Generally, you may notice a difference in taste or consistency after that date, but it will still be safe to eat. Typically these foods are good far beyond the date. Cereal is a common example.
Use By: Required by FDA. The Use By date is when the product loses its peak quality and declines "rapidly" afterwards. It's still safe to eat for a little while, there is no FDA or other "official" established period of time for "how long" after they are good for, but stores may not sell them after this date. Sour Cream and cream cheese are typical examples.
Date Only, no words before or after: No date required by FDA. Manufacturer's recommended date, basically the same as "Best If Used By" date.
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I'll start out with what prompted this, a jar of peanut butter I just pulled out of our storage.
Big Y 4lb creamy peanut butter. Purchased March 2010. Date Only for Feb 26 2011. Opened today August 12, 2012. Very little oil separation < 1/2 tsp at top. Consistency normal and flavor has no noticeable change from a new jar. Flavor tested and confirmed on sandwiches by two fairly normal adults and two picky children.
I'd like to keep this solely to prepackaged foods and not bulk personal mylar/bucket or home canned goods. Please post pictures if possible. Hopefully people can contribute and his will help others who are starting out decide where to start and what to expect. I'll post here as we cycle through our stores. Hopefully others with well established pantries will join in. If it takes off I'll ask the mods to make it a sticky.
==================
The FDA requires certain types of dates on certain products. Like many things the government does it is seemingly without rhyme or reason. Both "Sell By" and "Use By" dated goods must be removed from the market by retailers once the date expires. Not doing so can result is seizure and prosecution by the FDA. The FDA and food laws are very much like gun laws in that they are seemingly randomly enforced and redefined at the whim of the issuing agency. If you'd like to raise your blood pressure and waste a few hours/days/years of your life pleas go ahead and visit the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/Food/default.htm. Below I paraphrase what the basic premises are of each type.
Dates On Food Abridged:
Sell By: Required by FDA. This date tells the store how long to keep the item on their shelves. If it reaches the date before its sold, the store will pull it from the shelves. It represents the last day the food is at its peak quality of freshness, taste, and consistency. It will still be safe to eat after the Sell By Date. Milk is a typical example.
Best If Used By: Required by FDA. This merely refers to when the quality of the item starts to go downhill in taste as defined by the manufacturer. Generally, you may notice a difference in taste or consistency after that date, but it will still be safe to eat. Typically these foods are good far beyond the date. Cereal is a common example.
Use By: Required by FDA. The Use By date is when the product loses its peak quality and declines "rapidly" afterwards. It's still safe to eat for a little while, there is no FDA or other "official" established period of time for "how long" after they are good for, but stores may not sell them after this date. Sour Cream and cream cheese are typical examples.
Date Only, no words before or after: No date required by FDA. Manufacturer's recommended date, basically the same as "Best If Used By" date.
===================
I'll start out with what prompted this, a jar of peanut butter I just pulled out of our storage.
Big Y 4lb creamy peanut butter. Purchased March 2010. Date Only for Feb 26 2011. Opened today August 12, 2012. Very little oil separation < 1/2 tsp at top. Consistency normal and flavor has no noticeable change from a new jar. Flavor tested and confirmed on sandwiches by two fairly normal adults and two picky children.