What to do with expired container?

Lil12907141
by Lil12907141

  8 answers
  • FL FL on Nov 10, 2017

    Here's a site that explains the terms "Sell By" and "Expiration date" as well as other terms like "Best if used before..." and "Born On." Interesting question and interesting answers: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/do-food-expiration-dates-matter#1

  • Helen Garza Helen Garza on Nov 10, 2017

    "Sell By" is used by stores to keep track of inventory only. "Sell By" is not the date the item is no longer any good.

  • Bijous Bijous on Nov 10, 2017

    Helen is spot on about the "sell by". The "expiration date" is a RECOMMENDATION for a product's use. Through testing manufacturers have determined that the product's freshness starts to deteriorate or fails after that date. As an example, if there's no mold on the bread but the date's expired, there's no reason to throw away the bread. However, where meats are concerned the expire date is usually true to the date.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Nov 10, 2017

    Years ago, there was the term "day old bread". All this meant was that the bread was not as fresh as bread that had been baked that day.

    Modern retail stores use dated terms such as "best before" and "sell by" marked on food products, as one way to monitor inventory, and continue rotating their stock. These dates are a suggested date as to when the particular food has optimum freshness, crispness, brightest color, etc. The date does not mean that after this date the product will no longer be safe for consumption.

    Many dollars can be saved on grocery bills by always checking the "reduced for quick sale" corner.


  • Jan Clark Jan Clark on Nov 11, 2017

    HOWEVER, if you are talking about certain items, the expiration date can be important. For any liquid with the sweetener aspartame, the chemical will break down into alcohol (slowly) after the expiration date. I don't use anything with aspartame, but it is wise to throw the product away rather than risk a reaction in your body. AND, of course, prescription drugs and some OTC should not be used after the expiration date. This is because the molecules are guaranteed stable for the time on the label. After that, you really don't know exactly what your getting but the purity of the dose is probably different than the label.

  • Rhonda Rhonda on Nov 11, 2017

    sell by date means the store has to sell it by then or it's considered not sellable and expiration date means you should throw it away if past this date. If it's something that can sour be sure to smell,it as you get close to the date cuz it may not be ok prior to the expiration date.

  • Castrang17 Castrang17 on Nov 11, 2017

    If it looks funny, smells funny, when it doubt throw it out! Expiration date means just that, expired-not good any more.

  • Ginny Ginny on Nov 12, 2017

    On one of the daily talk shows, a guest said that the 'sell by' and 'expiration' dates and are not always accurate, and we can use things much longer than stamped on the product. The guest was a chemist or something along that line. The 'dates' discussed went as far beyond those stamped on products were as long as one (1) year.