Is the food in the fridge still good? California wants to end the guessing game

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Food labels that say “sell by” or “best before” are misleading because they have no universal meaning under current laws. Now California wants to crack down on such practices, bidding to help consumers stop playing guessing games with produce and other items in their fridges. The state is the first to ban food labels such as “sell by” or “best before” under a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The legislation signed by Newsom over the weekend aims at reducing both food waste and the state’s climate-warming emissions. There are more than 50 different date labels on packaged food sold in stores, but the information is largely unregulated and does not relate to food safety. “Sell by” dates, for example, often act as a guide for stores to pull products from the shelf and not as an indicator of whether the product is still safe to consume. With no federal regulations dictating what information these labels should include, the stamps have led to consumer confusion—and nearly 20% of the nation’s food waste, according to the Food and Drug Administration. In California, that’s about 6 million tons of unexpired food that’s tossed in the trash each year. The new law “is a monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet,” said Democratic Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, author of the bill. The law is set to take effect in July 2026, establishing a new standard for food labeling in California. It will require the use of a “Best if Used By” label to signal peak quality and a “Use By” label for product safety, an approach recommended by federal agencies. The law provides an exemption for eggs, beer, and other malt beverages. “Widespread implementation that was basically committed to by industry wasn’t happening,” said Erica Parker with Californians Against Waste, who sponsored the bill. “Food waste rates are not decreasing, they’re increasing.” Supporters hope the legislation could pave the way for new food labeling standards in the U.S., though it’s not immediately clear if the new law and the massive California market will push companies to standardize food labeling for all products in the country. This article was provided by The Associated Press.