Wiki User The use by or sell by date will be stamped on the packet. The material on this site can not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Multiply. You can safely assume that medicine is still effective if it was bought in the last few years, but go ahead and replace the bottle if you’re concerned about it not working at its full potency, like for pain relievers or allergy pills.Why don't fictional characters say 'goodbye' when they hang up a phone? If we can't tunnel through the Earth, how do we know what's at its center?Īll Rights Reserved.These indicate that the item may not be good to use or consume anymore. Pay attention to odd smells or changed consistencies in food items and beauty products.Some food products also have a “freeze by” date listed, so that consumers can know when to move their goods from the fridge to the freezer so that they don’t have to throw anything out.Remember, these dates are chosen by the manufacturers, not by the FDA or USDA. The use-by date has more to do with the item’s quality rather than its safety.For other types of items, it means that the product may not be as effective as it was before the given date. For food items, it means to be on higher alert when you open the product, as it could have started to decay or go stale. This date doesn’t mean that a food item, beauty product, or medicine is no longer safe or that it is bad already. Read a “use by” date as a tip for when an item might start to go bad. If so, you may want to replace it if it’s past the expiration date. The best recommendation is to ask yourself if you need the medication to work at the full 100%. Most over-the-counter medications are effective for as long as 10 years past the expiration date. It’s hard to tell if medicine is no longer potent.For example, a lotion might become lumpy or a liquid foundation might become tacky. If a beauty product smells strange or has changed in consistency, it most likely isn’t good anymore.If it smells good, looks good, and has been properly stored, it should still be safe to eat.

If a food item smells bad or if you can see mold or discoloration, throw it out.Rather, it just means that the item will be at its freshest or most effective before that date. However, it definitely doesn’t indicate that the food item, medication, or beauty product will start going bad after the date given. The best-by date is meant for the consumer. Use a “best by” date to determine the peak window of freshness or potency.

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