SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 3 (Our California Times) — California’s new food date-label law took effect Tuesday, requiring standardized wording on many consumer-facing date labels and barring the use of “sell by” on labels meant for shoppers.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture says Assembly Bill 660 applies to food items for human consumption manufactured on or after July 1, 2026, and sets separate phrases for quality dates and safety dates. For quality, the approved wording is “BEST if Used by” or “BEST if Used or Frozen by.” For safety, the required wording is “USE by” or “USE by or Freeze by.”
The department says the change is meant to reduce confusion that leads people to throw away food that is still wholesome. CDFA says the law removes “the source of consumer confusion that results in the disposal of wholesome, nutritious food.”
CDFA also says coded “sell by” dates can still be used for retailer stock rotation, as long as they are not intended for consumers. The department says the sale ban does not apply to eggs and infant formula.
