Arizona Tea is a popular beverage that is widely available in cans, glass bottles and plastic gallon jugs. At 99 cents for a 23-oz. Can, the product is an easy choice for a consumer looking for an inexpensive and sweet caffeinated drink. Like most food and beverage products on the market, Arizona Teas are stamped with dates that alert the consumer to either an expiration date or a date of production. The United States Department of Agriculture ensures that products intended for consumption are labeled for public safety, under regulation of the Food Safety and Inspection Service.
'Best if Used By' is a type of date you might find on a meat, poultry, or egg product label. Are dates required on these food products?
Does it mean the product will be unsafe to use after that date? Here is some background information answering these and other questions about product dating. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • What is Food Product Dating?
Two types of product dating may be shown on a product label. 'Open Dating' is a calendar date applied to a food product by the manufacturer or retailer. The calendar date provides consumers with information on the estimated period of time for which the product will be of best quality and to help the store determine how long to display the product for sale. “Closed Dating” is a code that consists of a series of letters and/or numbers applied by manufacturers to identify the date and time of production. [] Does Federal Law Require Dating? Except for infant formula, product dating is not required by Federal regulations.
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