SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 3 (Our California Times) — California’s new food date label law took effect July 1, requiring covered packaged foods sold in the state to use standardized wording and ending consumer-facing ‘sell by’ dates, the California Department of Food and Agriculture said.
Under Assembly Bill 660, quality dates must read ‘BEST if Used by’ or ‘BEST if Used or Frozen by,’ while safety dates must say ‘USE by’ or ‘USE by or Freeze by.’ CDFA says the change is meant to reduce confusion over date labels and cut down on food waste from food that is still wholesome.
The department said consumer-facing ‘sell by’ dates are banned, but coded dates may still be used for retailer stock rotation if they are not meant for shoppers. CDFA also said the sale prohibition does not apply to eggs or infant formula.
The law applies to food items for human consumption in California that are manufactured on or after July 1, 2026.
