Is It an Expiration Date or a Best Before Date?

Asst. Prof. Dr. Nazife Hürer, a faculty member at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Cyprus International University (CIU) stated that correctly understanding the concepts of expiration date (ED) and best before date (BBD) on food products is important both for individual health and for preventing food waste. She noted that these two dates are often confused, which can lead to health risks and unnecessary food loss.

Emphasizing that the expiration date is a binding indicator in terms of food safety, Asst. Prof. Dr. Hürer said, “The expiration date is not a recommendation; it is a food safety indicator that must be strictly followed. The fact that a food’s appearance or smell seems normal does not always mean it is safe.” She explained that expiration dates are determined through microbiological analyses and shelf-life studies.

Referring to the differences between the expiration date and the best before date, Hürer stated, “The expiration date concerns food safety, and the product must absolutely not be consumed after this date. The best before date, on the other hand, indicates the period during which the food maintains its optimal quality characteristics.”

She pointed out that not knowing this distinction may increase health risks on the one hand, while on the other hand causing food that is still consumable to be wasted. Emphasizing that products past their best before date do not always pose a health risk, Hürer noted that some products stored under proper conditions, with intact packaging and no signs of spoilage, may still be consumed for a certain period after this date. However, she stressed that if there is even the slightest suspicion of spoilage, the product should not be consumed.

Drawing attention to the importance of reading food labels, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nazife Hürer stated that correctly understanding the difference between the expiration date and the best before date contributes both to ensuring food safety and to reducing food waste. She added that raising this awareness plays a significant role in strengthening sustainable and responsible consumption behaviors.