From Wells Fargo Daily Advantage:

"Just about a week ago, two food industry trade groups announced
voluntary, standardized practices intended to clear up confusion about
10 separate label phrases such as Sell By, Use By, Expires On, Best
Before, Better if Used By, or Best By. Manufacturers are now encouraged
to use only two: "Best if Used By" and "Use By."

"Best If Used By" describes product quality: The product taste or
performance may suffer after the indicated date but is safe to consume
or use. "Use By" applies to highly perishable products and/or food
safety concerns. These products should be consumed by the date listed on
the package or disposed of after that date.

The promulgation of new labelling practices acknowledges that the rules
were left to manufacturers in the past, which may be at the root of
label proliferation. The new rules also appear to acknowledge that past
practices caused consumer confusion. A survey found 91% of consumers
mistakenly tossed food if the "Best if used by" label had passed, when
that only signals the manufacturer's guess at its peak quality.

The standards are voluntary, so there's no guarantee of adoption. In
addition, the roll-out offers great leeway for implementation that
extends to July 2018 for those manufacturers that adopt the standards."


This is a great initiative.