Food Safety

How to Read Best Before Dates

How to Read Best Before Dates

By Hajira Hussain in Food Safety on November 17, 2021


Have you ever been confused by best before dates and expiry dates? If so, it’s no wonder – there are many different codes and symbols used in different parts of the world, and their meaning is not always clear. We hope that this post will answer your questions, and help avoid food waste too.

Here is a major take-home message: If you have canned or other non-perishable foods in your home, you do not need to discard them just because they are past their “best before” date; in most cases, you can still safely eat them. Here is why.

Best Before Dates

Best before dates are only required on products with a shelf life of less than 90 days, although they are frequently found on products with longer shelf lives (like canned goods). Best Before dates are marked with the words “Best Before” and “Meilleur Avant” or “B.B./M.A.”

Non-perishable food is still safe to eat past its best before date (as long as the packaging is in-tact and undamaged), although texture or flavour may change over time. To ensure that we are giving out good-tasting and good quality food, the Richmond Food Bank’s policy is to dispose of any items that are one year (or more) past their best before dates. We immediately discard any items that are open or damaged (rusty, severely dented, or bloated cans, for example), regardless of the best before date, for food safety reasons.

Expiry Dates

You’ll find expiry dates on products like baby formula and nutritional supplements. These foods are clearly marked with “EXP” or “Expiry.”

While these foods are likely safe to eat past the expiry date, the manufacturers cannot guarantee the nutritional composition after the date. It is the Richmond Food Bank’s policy to dispose of items immediately once they are past their Expiry Date. We do not distribute any expired food.

Manufacturer’s Codes

These are a set of numbers and letters, and are used by shipping companies and manufacturers to track their products.  They are not indicative of the best before dates or expiry dates.

We hope that this is helpful.   Please Contact Us if you have any questions.


About the author

Hajira Hussain

Hajira is the Richmond Food Bank's Executive Director.