USDA Wants to Do Away With 'Sell by' and 'Use by' Labels

[MI2AZ]

The USDA wants Americans to know it's probably fine to eat that yogurt hiding in the back of the fridge. Consumerist reports the agency released new guidance Wednesday asking meat and dairy producers to do away with the various "sell by" and "use by" dates they put on their packaging in favor of a universal "best if used by" date. The USDA says that wording isn't quite so confusing to consumers, who may not understand that most foods are still safe to be eaten well after the date on the package. It's part of the agency's attempt to cut down on food waste. The USDA estimates about 30% of all food is thrown away by stores or consumers before being eaten, according to Food Safety News.