I recently read an article titled Seven Foods Not to Eat Past the Expiration Date.
The expiration date found on packages of food obtained from the grocery store whether it be "expires by", "use by", or "best by" do not have any scientific data to back up that date as being the last day to eat that item. These dates are quality dates, not dates that reflect this is the last day this food is safe to eat. In the U.S. the only federally regulated expiration date is on infant formula. This is because this the only source of nutrients for infants and feeding them products past the expiration date the nutrient values may not be the same as required.
So the question is, how do I know when my food is still safe to eat. The U.S. Food Code does list a discard date from opening or preparation for foods that are Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods. TCS food definition can be found here and a list of TCS foods can be found here. If your refrigerator can hold these foods below 40°F (4°C), these items can be held for a maximum of 7 days. If your home refrigerator cannot maintain 40°F (4°C), foods should be discarded in 2 to 3 days.
The Food Keeper App provided by the USDA is a tool that can be used to give a general idea quality and freshness dates of many foods.
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