Top: Graphic by Doug Pinkerton

New York State Senate Bill S7618, sponsored by Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assembly Member Karines Reyes, is proposing uniform date labeling terms to help consumers better understand when food is safe to eat. Currently in the Senate Consumer Protection Committee, the bill requires food manufacturers, processors or retailers “engaged in the labeling of food items for human consumption that chooses, or is otherwise required by law to display a date label to communicate a quality or safety date on a food item shall use the following uniform terms on such date label:

(i) “USE by” or “USE by or Freeze by” to indicate the safety date of the food item;

(ii) “BEST if Used by” or “BEST if Used or Frozen by” to indicate the quality date of the food item;

(iii) “UB” to indicate the safety date of the food item if such food item is too small to include a uniform term; or

(iv) “BB” to indicate the quality date of the food item if such food item is too small to include the uniform term.”

If passed, the law would take effect by July 1, 2027. There are no federal laws standardizing food label language — except for baby formula. The bipartisan and bicameral introduction of the Food Date Labeling Act — for the first time ever with a Republican Senate co-sponsor — is currently making its way through Congress. California is the only state with a date labeling law.