in buying food what is the meaning of BEST BY and SELL BY?

Question

I bought fruitcake and it says in it SELL BY 1/22/07. When is the expiration date of this product? Please explain the phrase SELL BY 1/22/07

Answer 1

A sell by date means it is very perisable and it will go bad in a short period of time afterward. Best by date means that it not real perashable but will get stale or loose flavor given enough time.

Sell by 1/22/07 means sell it or put it on sale before January 22, 2007, and in the reduced 50% or more on January 22, 2007, and don't put it back into the store room for next season.

Answer 2

The difference between sell by and use by is this...

A Use By date indicates when the product should be consumed for the best quality and/or safety, regardless of purchase date. This is more common for staples that are expected to sit on the shelf unopened for extended periods.

The Sell By date is when it should be sold to the consumer, assuming an expected shelf life in the user's home. This is more common for fresh and frozen foods expected to be consumed shortly after purchase. Keep in mind the shelf life being assumed can vary greatly by product. They expect us to use milk more quickly than a block of cheese, because everyone knows milk is less stable.

In either case, use "common" sense. If it is dairy or something else that is relatively easy to spoil, keep it in the fridge if you are not going to use it up within a few days, even if it does not require refrigeration.

For baked items, it is much more about the quality of the goods than safety. Your best bet for any product you buy regularly and want to maximize shelf life on is to contact the specific manufacturer. They can tell you exactly what factors they use for their products.

Answer 3

If it is fruitcake it will last forever!..lol.. the Best By date is when the product is freshest by, and the Sell By date is when the store has to sell it by or take it off the shelve. Hope this helped.

Answer 4

Lord all Mighty, fruitcake lasts a lifetime...but seriously, the Sell By date is the date the stores must sell them. They will stay fresh at home much longer.

Answer 5

best buy is the last day the product can be eaten like an expiration date

sell buy is when the store has to sell it buy not necessarily the day it will go bad.

I usually add 2 or 3 days to the sell buy date before i throw out the food.

Answer 6

I dont believe the sell by date is the expiration date but I wouldnt trust it much long after the sell by date though.

Answer 7

There should be another date stating the expiry date. The sell by date is just when the shops need to have sold the item by.
I think.

Answer 8

the sell by date is when the shops have to sell it by, this is usually because threre may be ingrediants that can spoil.
the best before date is when the food is best before (ie it should be eatern before this) but it will not necessarily be bad by then, it just wil be better before then!
hope that helps