FILE IMAGE - A woman looking at packets of sausages in a grocery store. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Have you ever questioned how safe it is to eat something based on the date stamped on the packaging? Now, a new California law seeks to help consumers decide that, with the goal of reducing the billions of unspoiled meals that end up in our landfills — food that’s thrown out prematurely.
What we know:
Starting July 1, a new California law will change food date labeling rules, requiring more uniform terminology.
Dates based on quality and safety
Under Assembly Bill 660, consumers will see expiration guidelines based on quality and safety.
When referring to quality, the label will offer a "best if used by" or "best if frozen by" date. The term would indicate the peak freshness or quality of a product.
For safety, the terms will be: "use by" or "use or freeze by," indicating when an item is no longer safe to eat.
Starting July 1, 2026, a new California law requires food safety dates to follow uniform terminology.
No more ‘sell by’ dates for consumers
The legislation will also ban the often ambiguous consumer-facing "sell by" dates.
Instead, it will only allow coded ‘sell by’ dates that are used by retailers or distributors for stock rotation information, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
Environmental harms
By the numbers:
Some 2.5 billion meals worth of unspoiled food end up in California’s landfills, making up 48% of the waste there and acting as a major contributor to greenhouse gases, according to CalRecycle.
"Food, yard, and other organic waste breaking down in landfills emits methane climate pollution," CalRecyle said, adding, "Methane has 84 times the power to heat our climate as carbon dioxide."
Label confusion
If food safety labeling dates have led to confusion and Google searches on whether to eat or toss your questionable food item, you’re not alone.
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AB 660 co-sponsor and environmental advocacy nonprofit, Californians Against Waste, found that there are more than 50 different phrasings used for food safety labels in the U.S.
In addition to "sell by," other terms include "expires on" or "freshest before," and "best before."
"The result is a confusing data labeling system and a staggering amount of food waste," Californians Against Waste said, as the group pointed to findings that showed "20% of all avoidable food waste is caused by consumer confusion over expiration dates."
Addressing food insecurity
In addition to addressing the environmental harms of food waste, AB 660 collaterally addresses the crisis of food insecurity, which affects more than 1 in 5 people in the state, according to the California Association of Food Banks.
"Wasted food also reduces what can be saved for food banks and impacts Californians’ wallets by throwing good food away too soon," the CDFA said.
The backstory:
The law is a first of its kind in the nation, according to its author, Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill in 2024 after the bill received bipartisan support in the state legislature.
What they're saying:
"Having to wonder whether our food is still good is an issue that we all have struggled with," Irwin said after the bill was signed into law.
She said the new legislation represented a "monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet."
How the law is applied
It may be a while before you see the law affecting food labeling at grocery stores, as it covers food produced on or after July 1, 2026.
Also, it does not cover eggs, infant formula, or beer and other malt beverages.
In addition, AB 660 does not require manufacturers and food producers to slap safety dates on their items. Rather, it only pertains to those that decide to include a date on their products.
How the law is enforced
The law only applies to products sold in California.
As far as enforcement, while it's a state law, local health departments will be primarily responsible.
Provisions of the law fall under the California Retail Food Code (CRFC), according to the California Department of Public Health.
"The CRFC establishes health and sanitation standards for retail food facilities, which are enforced by local health agencies during routine inspections," CDPH spokesperson Grant Boyken explained in an email to KTVU.
Big picture view:
Advocates hope the new law will not only take the guess work out of food labels in California, but it will trigger a wider movement to change the rules surrounding food safety labeling.
"We are hopeful that AB 660 will serve as a catalyst for the enactment of similar legislation in other states," Californians Against Waste said. "We are also hopeful that AB 660 will accelerate enactment of the Federal Food Date Labeling Act which similarly aims to clear up food date label confusion and reduce food waste."
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New California laws effective July 1
New California laws will go into effect on July 1. The range of legislation sprawls from a range of legislation involving public safety, education, and employment.