Expiry dates??

[monkeydoodle]

Why do some products not have dates on them? Some of the canned foods especially, I am always skeptical about because there is not expiry/best before date on them. Numbers and letters stamped on them yes, but what do they mean - is there any way to find out how old these products are? Often clearance items I find in the bin at grocery stores are things like that with no dates.

[GatineauGirl]

Drives me crazy when I can't see the expiry date. I have called the manufacturer to ascertain the 'best before' date, but you can't always find that information either. Now, if I can't see the date, I don't buy it.

[terry2144]

I am unable to decipher some of these codes. They should be user friendly.

[Natalka]

For the ones with just codes (so icky that they still do that), you can often find the decoder on the company website, or just google for it.

[GoJays]

foods with a shelf life longer than 90 days are not required to have an expiration or best before date on them

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/inf.../1332357545633

[Ciel]

The number/letter codes correspond to a Julian calendar system! I looked that up once. Cannot remember how it works but here is a link for you (it reminded me of the hexadecimal system on my calculator):
http://www.ehow.com/how_7431948_read-date-code.html

[oscarandme]

I make it a point now to make sure to buy with an expiry date and often it is surprising that some are like a year and a half later. We bought some Carnation Milk and the date said december 2015 that was about 3 months ago. One thing that a family member did was to write the month and year of purchase on can and atleast that was some indicator. I have looked into it too years ago and it varies. I just saw a segment on television about expiry dates and I'm sorry I did not agree with the little lady discussing it. When my milk says a certain date, it is not good for another 2 weeks. She must be lactose intolerant because she has not drank that 2 week passed expiry date, no *****in' way. I would rather waste 1,500.00 a year as they claim than to be sick like I was with that chicken situation lately, if eating expired food is anything like that . Bad whatever and being as sick as I was for almost 2 weeks was not worth the savings, especially if little ones or the elderly are involved.

When in doubt, chuck it out. An item is not worth being deathly ill for.. and if no date, you decide to buy anyway, I would go maybe a year and then..bye-bye..write the purchase date and a year from that.

Good luck dear.