The best before date is about quality and not safety.
After the best before date listed on a product, the food will be safe to eat but may not be at its best, most optimum quality.
It is fine to sell product past its ‘best before’ date. However, it is illegal to sell product past its ‘use-by’ date.
Best before dates appear on a wide range of foods including frozen foods, dried foods, tinned foods, and cheese.
The best before date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the packaging.
Visit Food Standards Agency for more information.
