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Food Science & Technology vocabulary · Packaging and Labeling

Best before date

Meaning in food science & technology, with examples

nounCore term

In food science & technology, best before date means: The date until which a food keeps its full expected quality, such as taste, texture and color, when stored correctly; after it, the food may still be safe to eat.

In Turkish: tavsiye edilen tüketim tarihi, TETT

How it is used

Used for shelf-stable and frozen foods such as pasta, biscuits, canned goods and coffee. It is a quality date, not a safety date, so the rules on selling food after it differ between countries. Packs say 'Best before' with day, month and year, or 'Best before end' with only month and year.

Example sentences

  1. Flour has a best before date, not a use-by date, because it does not support microbial growth.

  2. The biscuits were two weeks past their best before date but still crisp.

Common collocations

  • best before end
  • past the best before date
  • date coding
  • print the best before date
  • use-by dateThe date on a perishable food after which it should not be eaten, because it may no longer be safe even if it looks and smells fine.
  • shelf lifeThe length of time a food stays safe and keeps its expected quality when it is stored under the stated conditions.
  • labelThe printed information on a food package, such as the product name, ingredients, allergens, net quantity, date mark, storage instructions and producer details.
  • storage conditionsThe temperature, humidity, light and other conditions under which a food must be kept to stay safe and reach its stated shelf life.

More terms: Packaging and Labeling

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