Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading
Food Labelling in the UK: A Guide to the Legal Requirements .............. Home Page |
 Quantity Marking and Weight Statements |
Name and address |
Date marking / storage conditions
Date marking
The Regulations require most food to have either a 'date of minimum durability' or a 'use by' date':
The 'date of minimum durability' is defined in the Regulation:
'date of minimum durability of a food’ means the date until which the food retains its specific properties when properly stored;
Article 2(2)(r) |
The 'date of minimum durability' is considered the standard requirement. An alternative is however required for higher risk foods:
In the case of foods which, from a microbiological point of view, are highly perishable and are therefore likely after a short period to constitute an immediate danger to human health, the date of minimum durability shall be replaced by the ‘use by’ date.
Article 24(1) |
Therefore, one of the following will normally be found on a food label:
- For foods which, from a microbiological point of view, are
highly perishable and in consequence likely after a short period of time to
constitute an immediate danger to human health, a 'use by' date.
- For other foods, the minimum durability (the 'best before'
date).
In addition, for frozen meat, frozen meat preparations and frozen unprocessed fishery products there is a requirement (provided in Point 6 of Annex III) to provide the date of freezing or the date of first freezing in cases where the product has been frozen more than once,
Manner of Marking (Annex X)
Details are provided in Annex X:
The date of minimum durability shall be indicated as follows:
(a) the date shall be preceded by the words:
- ‘Best before …’ when the date includes an indication of the day,
- ‘Best before end …’ in other cases,
(b) the words referred to in point (a) shall be accompanied by
- either the date itself, or,
- a reference to where the date is given on the labelling,
If need be, these particulars shall be followed by a description of the storage conditions which must be observed if the product is to keep for the specified period;
(c) the date shall consist of the day, the month and possibly, the year, in that order and in uncoded form. However, in the case of foods:
- which will not keep for more than 3 months, an indication of the day and the month shall be sufficient,
- which will keep for more than 3 months but not more than 18 months, an indication of the month and year shall be sufficient,
- which will keep for more than 18 months, an indication of the year shall be sufficient.
Annex X (1)
|
The use by date shall be indicated as follows:
(a) it shall be preceded by the words ‘use by …’;
(b) the words in point (a) shall be accompanied by:
- either the date itself, or,
- a reference to where the date is given on the labelling,
Those particulars shall be followed by a description of the storage conditions which must be observed;
(c) the date shall consist of the day, the month and, possibly, the year, in that order and in uncoded form;
(d) the ‘use by’ date shall be indicated on each individual prepacked portion.
Annex X (2) |
- Date of freezing or the date of first freezing:
The date of freezing or the date of first freezing ... shall be indicated as follows:
(a) it shall be preceded by the words ‘Frozen on …’;
(b) the words referred to in point (a) shall be accompanied by:
- the date itself, or,
- a reference to where the date is given on the labelling,
(c) the date shall consist of the day, the month and the year, in that order and in uncoded form.
Annex X (3) |
Guidance
More detailed guidance on the application of date marks to food can
be found in the following documents:
Exemptions (Annex X(1)(d))
The following foods are exempted from stating a date of minimum
durability under these controls:
- fresh fruit and vegetables, including potatoes, which have not been peeled, cut or similarly treated; this derogation shall not apply to sprouting seeds and similar products such as legume sprouts,
- wines, liqueur wines, sparkling wines, aromatised wines, and similar products obtained from fruit other than grapes, and beverages falling within CN code 2206 00 obtained from grapes or grape musts,
- beverages containing 10 % or more by volume of alcohol,
- bakers’ or pastry cooks’ wares which, given the nature of their content, are normally consumed within 24 hours of their manufacture,
- vinegar,
- cooking salt,
- solid sugar,
- confectionery products consisting almost solely of flavoured and/or coloured sugars,
- chewing gums and similar chewing products,
Storage conditions or conditions of use
As indicated under 'General requirements' above, foods
are required to be labelled with 'any special storage conditions and/or conditions
of use'. The specific requirement is given in Article 25:
1. In cases where foods require special storage conditions and/or conditions of use, those conditions shall be indicated.
2. To enable appropriate storage or use of the food after opening the package, the storage conditions and/or time limit for consumption shall be indicated, where appropriate.
Article 25 |
|
Name and address |
