Hopefully other states follow suit.
In the meantime, heres what you gotta know to reduce your own food waste and eat safely.
Sometimes knowing if your food is still good is a guessing game.
Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Then theres trying to decipher labels on food with dateslike the sell by and best before labels.
And these labels have contributed to tons of food wasteliterally.
Thats about 1.03 billion tons of food each year!
Californias new law is set to take effect in July 2026.
Exempt from the law are eggs, beer and other malt beverages.
What About the Rest of Us?
In the meantime, here are a few tips to help clear up some of the confusion.
And the use by date?
Hopefully, this will encourage other states to follow suit.
But in the meantime, understand that the sell by date is primarily for the stores.
If it smells rank or rancid or just looks off, dont take your chances.
U.S. Department of Agriculture: Food Safety and Inspection Service.Food product dating.
United Nations Environment Programme.UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.How to cut food waste and maintain food safety.
Associated Press.Is the food in the fridge still good?
California wants to end the guessing game.
California Legislative Information.AB-660 food and beverage products: labeling: quality dates, safety dates, and sell-by dates.
