USDA says use-by labels aren't really needed on foods

It's official: date labels on food don't quite represent the peril that people think.

For years, foodmakers have put sell-by and use-by dates on a number of products. But some food experts and environmentalists have argued that people are throwing out perfectly good food because of those dates. And on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed.

The department's food safety division released new industry guidance that recommends that manufacturers use the phrase "best if used by" rather than "sell by" or "use by" when putting dates on food.

http://www.startribune.com/usda-says-use-by-labels-aren-t-really-needed-on-foods/406964016/