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CA Food Labels Simplify: Quality vs. Safety Clear
27 Jun
Summary
- California simplifies food date labels starting July 1.
- New law distinguishes quality dates from safety dates.
- Goal is to reduce billions of pounds of wasted food annually.
California is enacting a new law on July 1 to simplify food date labels, aiming to reduce consumer confusion and cut down on food waste. Products manufactured in the state will now use standardized labels: "Best if Used by" for optimal quality and "Use by" to indicate potential safety issues.
This initiative seeks to tackle the significant issue of food waste in California, where residents reportedly discard the equivalent of 2.5 billion meals each year. The change also targets environmental concerns, as organic waste in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Consumer-facing "Sell By" dates will be eliminated, though retailers may use internal codes for inventory management. Exemptions include infant formula, eggs, and alcoholic beverages. Businesses failing to comply could face enforcement actions under California's food safety regulations.
