Is Food Safe to Eat After the Expiration Date?

“Date labeling on food products isn’t required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with the exception of infant formula. As a result, there’s a lot of gray area.

Food manufacturers can decide if they want to put dates on labels and are allowed to write different phrased next to the dates to describe the expiration of quality for that product.”

– Elizabeth Traxler, MS, RDN, LD
UH Registered Dietitian

Confusion over expiration dates leads to a lot of waste, because people throw out food that’s still good.

Most foods – even milk and eggs – are still safe to eat after the expiration or “use by” date.

Instead, your senses should be your guide. The taste, smell and look of the product will tell you if it’s spoiled.

Foods to Be Cautious About

Be more careful with foods that have higher risk of causing illness, such as:

• Rare beef.
• Raw fish in sushi.
• Soft-cooked eggs with runny yolks.
• Unpasteurized dairy, including soft cheese like brie, camembert or feta.
• Raw fruits or vegetables with signs of wilting.
• Freshly squeezed, unpasteurized juices.

If you do consume spoiled food, it won’t necessarily make you sick, though it may cause gastrointestinal symptoms.

Foodborne illness is caused by contamination with harmful bacteria such as salmonella, not natural decay.

Foods such as raw fish contain bacteria that can grow to levels that may cause illness if stored for too long or left out at room temperature.

The federal government has a searchable FoodKeeper app that provides guidance on the shelf life of many products. Some examples:

• Raw salmon. Should be refrigerated no more than 3 days after purchase.
• Raw chicken. Should be refrigerated no more than 2 days after purchase.
• Prepackaged luncheon meat. 3 – 5 days after it’s opened; 2 weeks after purchase.
• Eggs. Good in the refrigerator 3 – 5 weeks after purchase.
• Ready-to-eat cereal. Good in the pantry 6 – 12 months; 2 – 3 months after it’s opened.