Use-by vs best-before dates

United Kingdom

Use-by dates relate to the safety of food, whereas best before dates relate to quality.

You can eat food after the use-by date if it was cooked or frozen on or before the use-by date.

After the best before date, the food is usually safe to eat but may not be of the same quality.

You can freeze food right up until midnight on the ‘use by’ date printed on the label

United States

A "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except when used on infant formula as described below.

A "Best if Used By/Before" date indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

If the date passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until the time spoilage is evident.

European Union

In the case of foods which, from a microbiological point of view, are highly perishable and are therefore likely after a short period to constitute an immediate danger to human health, the date of minimum durability shall be replaced by the ‘use by’ date. After the ‘use by’ date a food shall be deemed to be unsafe in accordance with Article 14(2) to (5) of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002.

‘date of minimum durability of a food’ means the date until which the food retains its specific properties when properly stored;