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E. Uniform Open Dating Regulation

as adopted by

The National Conference on Weights and Measures∗

1. Background 

Numerous state and local jurisdictions have provided for, or are considering, mandatory open dating of certain 

packaged commodities. Additionally, many commodities in the marketplace are now voluntarily open dated. Lack 

of uniformity between jurisdictions could impede the orderly flow of commerce.

In 1985, the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM), in concert with the Association of Food and 

Drug Officials, wrote a new Uniform Regulation. It resolved the differences in the versions developed independently 

by the two organizations.

The regulation provides two options for implementation by the states. One requires open dating on all perishable 

foods and the other permits voluntary open dating of such foods. In the latter (voluntary) case, the open dating must 

then conform to the uniform regulation. Notes to Sections 1.1. Purpose and 3.1. “Sell By” Date indicate the alternate 

wording for the voluntary version of the Regulation.

2. Status of Promulgation 

The table beginning on page 8 shows the status of adoption of the Uniform Open Dating Regulation.

 

∗The National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) is supported by the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) in partial implementation of its statutory responsibility for “cooperation with the states in securing 

uniformity in weights and measures laws and methods of inspection.”
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E. Uniform Open Dating Regulation 

Table of Contents 

Section Page

Section 1. Purpose, Scope, and Application .............................................................................................................165

1.1. Purpose. ......................................................................................................................................................165

1.2. Scope and Application................................................................................................................................165

Section 2. Definitions...............................................................................................................................................165

2.1. “Sell By” Date. ...........................................................................................................................................165

2.2. Perishable Food. .........................................................................................................................................165

2.3. Semi Perishable Food. ................................................................................................................................165

2.4. Long Shelf Life Food. ................................................................................................................................165

2.5. Prepackaged................................................................................................................................................165

2.6. “Best If Used By” Date. .............................................................................................................................165

2.7. Person. ........................................................................................................................................................165

Section 3. Sale of Perishable Food and Date Determination ....................................................................................165

3.1. “Sell By” Date. ...........................................................................................................................................165

3.2. Sale After Expiration of “Sell By” Date.....................................................................................................166

3.2.1. Advertisement. ................................................................................................................................. 166

3.2.2. Responsibility for Advertisement.....................................................................................................166

3.3. Determination of “Sell By” Date................................................................................................................166

3.3.1. Reasonable Period for Consumption. ...............................................................................................166

3.3.2. Responsibility for “Sell By” Date. ...................................................................................................166

3.4. Manner of Expressing Date. .......................................................................................................................166

3.4.1. Month and Day, or Day of Week. ....................................................................................................166

3.4.2. The term “Sell By.” ..........................................................................................................................166

3.4.3. Abbreviation of Weekday.................................................................................................................166

3.4.4. Expression of Month and Day..........................................................................................................166

3.4.5. Expression of the Year. ....................................................................................................................166

Section 4. Sale of Semi Perishable and Long Shelf Life Food .................................................................................167

4.1. “Best If Used By” Date. .............................................................................................................................167

4.2. Sale After Expiration of “Best If Used By” Date. ......................................................................................167

4.3. Manner of Expressing Date. .......................................................................................................................167

Section 5. Placement of the Date..............................................................................................................................167

Section 6. Factors for the Date Determination..........................................................................................................167

Section 7. Records....................................................................................................................................................167

Section 8. Exemptions..............................................................................................................................................167

Section 9. Preemption of Local, County, and Municipal Ordinance ........................................................................168

Section 10. Effective Date ........................................................................................................................................168
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E. Uniform Open Dating Regulation [NOTE 1, page 165] 

Section 1. Purpose, Scope, and Application

1.1. Purpose. [NOTE 1, page 165] – The purpose of this regulation is to prescribe mandatory uniform date labeling of 

prepackaged, perishable foods and to prescribe optional uniform date labeling that must be used whenever a packager 

elects to use date labeling on prepackaged foods that are not perishable. Open dating is intended for use and 

understanding by both distributors and consumers when judging food qualities.

NOTE 1: Alternatively, this regulation may be adopted to require uniformity of open dating of perishable foods 

whenever a packager voluntarily elects to use date labeling. In such instances Sections 1.1. Purpose and 3.1. “Sell 

By” Date are reworded in the following manner:

1.1. Purpose. – The purpose of this regulation is to prescribe uniform date labeling that must be used whenever 

a packager elects to use date labeling on a prepackaged food. Open date labeling is intended for use and 

understanding by both distributors and consumers when judging food qualities.

3.1. “Sell By” Date. – If a retail food establishment elects to sell or offer for sale a prepackaged perishable food 

identified with a “sell by” date, the “sell by” date used must be as prescribed by this regulation.

1.2. Scope and Application. – This regulation prescribes the manner of date labeling, the method of determining the 

appropriate date, required records, responsible persons, and the foods subject to this regulation. This regulation 

provides for the permissible sale of a regulated food after the expiration of the date on the label. This regulation does 

not apply to any food that is not prepackaged or is exempted by Section 8.

Section 2. Definitions 

2.1. “Sell By” Date. – A recommended last date of sale that permits a subsequent period before deterioration of 

qualities described in 2.2. Perishable Food, 2.3. Semi Perishable Food, and 2.4. Long Shelf Life Food.

2.2. Perishable Food. – Any food having a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability within 

60 days of the date of packaging.

2.3. Semi Perishable Food. – Any food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability 

occurs only after a minimum of 60 days, but within 6 months, after the date of packaging.

2.4. Long Shelf Life Food. – Any food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability 

does not occur sooner than 6 months after the date of packaging, including foods preserved by freezing, dehydrating, 

or being placed in a hermetically sealed container.

2.5. Prepackaged. – Food packaged prior to being displayed or offered for retail sale.

2.6. “Best If Used By” Date. – A date prior to deterioration of qualities described in 2.3. Semi Perishable Food 

and 2.4. Long Shelf Life Food.

2.7. Person. – An individual, partnership, association, or corporation.

Section 3. Sale of Perishable Food and Date Determination

3.1. “Sell By” Date. [NOTE 1, page 165] – A retail food establishment shall not sell or offer for sale a prepackaged 

perishable food unless it is identified with a “sell by” date as prescribed by this regulation.
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3.2. Sale After Expiration of “Sell By” Date. 

3.2.1. Advertisement. – Perishable food shall not be offered for sale after the “sell by” date unless it is 

wholesome and advertised in a conspicuous manner as being offered for sale after the recommended last date of 

sale. The placement of a sign, sticker, or tag is acceptable for such advertising if it is easily readable and clearly 

identifies the perishable food as having passed the recommended last date of sale.

3.2.2. Responsibility for Advertisement. – The retailer or final seller is responsible for the advertisement, 

described in Section 3.2.1. Advertisement, of a perishable food offered for sale after the recommended last date 

of sale.

3.3. Determination of “Sell By” Date. 

3.3.1. Reasonable Period for Consumption. – A manufacturer, processor, packer, re-packer, retailer, or other 

person who prepackages perishable food, shall determine a date that allows a reasonable period after sale for 

consumption of the food without physical spoilage, loss of value, or loss of palatability. A reasonable period for 

consumption shall consist of at least one third of the approximate total shelf life of the perishable food.

3.3.2. Responsibility for “Sell By” Date. – A retailer who purchases prepackaged perishable food may upon 

written agreement with the person prepackaging such food determine, identify, and be responsible for the “sell 

by” date placed on or attached to each package of such food.

3.4. Manner of Expressing Date. 

3.4.1. Month and Day, or Day of Week. – A person described in Section 3.3.1. Reasonable Period for 

Consumption or 3.3.2. Responsibility for “Sell By” Date shall place or attach to each package of perishable food 

a date by month and day. However, bakery products with a shelf life of not more than seven days may be dated 

with the day of the week representing the last recommended day of sale.

3.4.2. The term “Sell By.” – The “sell by” date shall be displayed with the term “sell by” or words of similar 

import immediately preceding or immediately over the designated date unless a prominent notice is on the label 

describing the date as a “sell by” date and indicating the location of the date.

3.4.3. Abbreviation of Weekday. – If the day of the week is solely designated as provided in 

Section 3.4.1. Month and Day, or Day of Week the name of the day may be abbreviated by the use of either the 

first two or first three letters of the name of the day.

3.4.4. Expression of Month and Day. – Except as provided for in Section 3.4.1. Month and Day, or Day of 

Week the date shall be designated by:

(a) the first three letters of the month, preceded or followed by a numeral indicating the calendar day; or

(b) the month represented numerically followed by a numeral designation of the calendar day.

The month and day designation shall be separated by a period, slash, dash, or spacing. When a numeral 

designation of the first nine days of the month is used, the number shall include a zero as the first digit; for 

example, 01 or 03.

(Amended 1987)

3.4.5. Expression of the Year. – The “sell by” date may include the year following the day if such year is 

expressed as a two or four-digit number separated as described in Section 3.4.4. Expression of Month and Day.
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Section 4. Sale of Semi Perishable and Long Shelf Life Food 

4.1. “Best If Used By” Date. – A manufacturer, processor, packer, re-packer, or other person who prepackages semi 

perishable or long shelf life food may place upon or attach to the package an open date providing it is designated by 

the “best if used by” date.

4.2. Sale After Expiration of “Best If Used By” Date. – A retail food establishment may sell or offer for sale food 

beyond the designated “best if used by” date provided the food is wholesome and the sensory physical quality 

standards for that food have not significantly diminished.

4.3. Manner of Expressing Date. – The “best if used by” date as required by Section 4.1. “Best If Used By” Date

shall be placed upon or attached to each container or package and be limited to the terms “best if used by” or words 

of similar import followed by or immediately over the date designated by the month and year unless a prominent 

notice is on the label describing the date as a “best if used by” date and indicating the location of the date. The date 

shall be designated by the first three letters of the month followed by a numeral indicating the year. The use of the 

day of the month is permissible provided that the day of the month is placed prior to the month; for example, 30 Jun 81.

Section 5. Placement of the Date 

The date, whether “sell by” or “best if used by,” shall be printed, stamped, embossed, perforated, or otherwise shown 

on the package, label on the package, or tag attached to the package in a manner that is easily readable and separate 

from other information, graphics, or lettering so as to be clearly visible to a prospective purchaser. The date shall not 

be superimposed on other required information or obscured by other information, graphics, or pricing. Regardless of 

the type size used, the date shall be easily readable. These requirements do not preclude a supplemental notice 

elsewhere on a package describing and/or indicating the location of the date.

Section 6. Factors for the Date Determination

A person who, as provided for in this regulation, places either the “sell by” date or “best if used by” date on a package 

shall determine the date by taking into consideration the food quality, characteristics, formulation, processing impact, 

packaging or container and other protective wrapping or coating, customary transportation, and storage and display 

conditions. For purposes of calculating this date, home storage conditions shall be considered to be similar to those 

in the usual retail store except that the date for refrigerated food may be calculated by using a home storage temperature 

standard of 40 °F (4.4 °C).

Section 7. Records

A person who is responsible for establishing the date for perishable, semi perishable, and long shelf life food shall 

keep a record of the method used to determine the date. A record revision is necessary whenever a factor affecting 

date determination is altered. Such record shall be retained for not less than six months after the most recent “sell by” 

or “best if used by” date and shall be available during normal business hours for examination upon request 

by __________ (agency name).

Section 8. Exemptions 

8.1. This regulation does not apply to perishable fruits or vegetables in a container permitting sensory examination.

8.2. This regulation does not apply to prepackaged perishable foods open dated according to requirements of federal 

law or regulation.
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Section 9. Preemption of Local, County, and Municipal Ordinance 

A municipality or county shall not adopt or impose standards or requirements other than those provided for in this 

regulation.

Section 10. Effective Date

This regulation shall become effective on and after __________.