Do you toss food once the date on the label has passed? Experts say that's often a waste

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If you’ve ever tossed out a carton of milk or a container of yogurt solely because the date on the packaging had passed, you’re not alone.Many people throw away food simply because of the date printed on the label. But often it is still perfectly edible, according to experts.With no federal regulations requiring standardized labels for dates on food except for baby formula, it’s no surprise that deciphering terms like “Best Before,” “Best By,” “Best If Used By,” “Enjoy By,” and “Sell By” can be mind-boggling.What most people don’t realize is that those labels are more about how fresh something is — not how safe the food is to eat.California is trying to bring some clarity with a new law that requires food manufacturers to use just two labels: one for quality and another for safety.Here are a few tips to help you understand food date labels and keep perfectly good food out of the trash even if you don’t live in California.

This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.

More than 50 different date labels are used in the USIn the United States, more than 80% of consumers discard food approaching the package date label at least occasionally, a 2019 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found.“The date labels guarantee quality up until that point,” said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University. “They are not about the safety of a product.”