Expiry Date and Best Before are terms used to indicate the Shelf Life of prepackaged products such as food and beverages.
They are often used interchangeably by consumers but they do not mean the same thing.
Here is the difference
Expiry date indicates the last day a food product is safe to consume. Today is 25/01/2021, any product with EXP 24/01/2021 and backwards should not be eaten!
On the other hand,
Best Before indicates that the food is no longer in its a perfect state from that date.
Best before does not necessarily mean that the product is no longer safe to eat from that day, rather it means that there could be some changes in nutrient content, taste, colour, flavour, consistency and other sensory attributes.
It is left for the consumer to ascertain if it is still okay to consume by making use of the sense of sight, taste, smell, etc.
Note: Always read the labelling on the packaging of prepackaged foods before purchase and use to ascertain shelf life and the presence of allergens.
Safe food, save life!
Written by:
Chidinma Ezinne Ochulor, MNIFST
Food Scientist | Food Technologist | Quality Assurance and Quality Control Professional | FSMS, QMS and OHSMS Implementer
