Who comes up with expiration date on milk cartons?

Question

How on earth does anyone know the exact date that the milk is going sour?

Answer 1

the cow tells the milkman the date... (it's a seinfeld joke)

Answer 2

I believe it is the USDA (US Dept. of Agriculture) that handles expiration dates for all foodstuffs including milk. They have over the years worked out a standardized set of guidelines for expiration dates on perishable products.l

Answer 3

I believe it was a date decided upon after research was done, and after much deliberation they decided it should only be valid, for as long as it takes to to stock it on the shelves, the consumer to buy it, and get it home, then a homing device goes off and turns it sour...........

Answer 4

I think they do the research by going to the cow and milking it and then counting how many days it will be to process it until it goes into the store and then times it by whatever their configeration is and then they get their little stamp and put it on there and by this time it is time to go milk another cow!!!!!

Answer 5

They don't however they do predict the best before day, which means it is guaranteed to last atleast until that date. If you get lucky it could last longer. If by some chance it doesn't last that long, you take it back to get another.

Answer 6

I do - I turn sour after being out after dark too long - can I hear a douche out there!

Answer 7

I've often wondered the same thing...good question Norm. Have a beer on me!!!