Use By Date

A date used to indicate how long a food item can remain on a shelf before it is no longer considered to be fresh and of a quality that can be sold to consumers. Use By 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 a Use By 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. A Use By Date may also be referred to as Should Not Purchase After Date, Use Before Date, or Expiration Date.