A recent cyclosporiasis scare in the Midwest led the FDA to recall Taylor Farms lettuce from Mexico, but the agency later determined the positive test was a false alarm. While the immediate threat proved unfounded, the incident underscores an important gap in food safety knowledge: most people don't understand what the various date labels on food packages actually mean, or what they're supposed to do about them.

What Do Those Date Labels on Your Food Actually Mean?

Food manufacturers use four different "by" labels on packages, and each one sends a different message to consumers. Understanding the difference between them can help you make smarter decisions about what's safe to eat and what should be tossed.

• "Best if used by": This is not an expiration date. Instead, it tells you when a product's flavor and quality are at their peak. Food can still be safely consumed after this date, though individual factors like how long it sat on a store shelf or in your home may affect actual freshness.
• "Sell by": This label is meant for store managers, telling them how long they can display the food on shelves for safe sale. Once food is at home, refrigeration or freezing extends its life; pasteurized milk stays fresh about a week longer when chilled, and fresh eggs can last three to five weeks in the coldest part of your refrigerator when kept in their original carton.
• "Use by": This is the manufacturer's last date before peak quality starts to decline. Like "best by," it doesn't indicate food safety for most products, with one critical exception: the date on baby formula indicates food safety and should not be used after that day.
• "Freeze by": This date tells you when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. Freezing stops the clock on spoilage and prevents the growth of food poisoning bacteria.

California recently banned the words "sell by" on food package labels to reduce confusion and food waste. The FDA estimates that Americans throw away nearly 6 million tons of food annually, nearly 20 percent of the nation's food waste, often because people misunderstand what these labels mean.

How Can You Tell If Food Has Actually Gone Bad?

Beyond reading labels, the best test for spoilage is what food safety experts call the "smell and look test." Spoiled foods typically develop an off odor, flavor, or texture due to growing bacteria. If a food has developed a bad smell, funky flavor, or unusual texture, it's time to toss it. Never taste food to determine if it's still good, as the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) warns.

Food safety experts generally recommend throwing out food at the first signs of spoilage. With mold, even a small fleck might indicate that there's much more you can't see. However, there are exceptions for certain dense foods where mold has difficulty spreading. With hard cheeses, for instance, food safety experts say it's fine to carve out a one-inch chunk around the mold and eat the rest.

It's important to note that not all spoilage is visible or smellable. A slab of raw chicken, for example, might look fresh but contain salmonella. To limit the chances of getting sick from such germs, regulators recommend four simple steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill.

How to Store Food Safely at Home

• Shelf-stable foods: Most shelf-stable foods such as dry beans are safe indefinitely. Canned goods can actually last as "fresh" for years so long as the can has not been damaged.
• Refrigerated items: Extend the shelf life of refrigerated foods by storing them properly; pasteurized milk lasts about a week longer when chilled, and fresh eggs can last three to five weeks in the coldest part of your refrigerator when kept in their original carton.
• Frozen foods: Freezing stops the clock on spoilage and prevents the growth of food poisoning bacteria, making it an effective way to extend the life of perishable items.
• Raw meat handling: Raw chicken and other raw meats may look fresh but contain harmful bacteria like salmonella, so proper storage and cooking temperatures are essential to prevent foodborne illness.

The USDA provides a handy reference chart listing cold storage dates at foodsafety.gov, and another chart detailing when it's safe to eat around mold on various foods. These resources can help you make informed decisions about what's safe to keep and what should go.

While the Taylor Farms recall turned out to be a false positive, it serves as a useful reminder that food safety depends on both government oversight and consumer knowledge. Understanding what those labels mean and how to properly store and inspect your food are essential skills for keeping your household safe from foodborne illness.