Do your product labels pass the smell test?

When I was a child, my mother occasionally asked me to postulate (by smell) on the freshness of perishable foods that, in a few terrible instances, had overstayed their welcome in our refrigerator. Back then, a product’s shelf life was often determined simply by sight or smell. 
Today, thankfully, many perishable foods have dates printed on them to let us know when they should no longer be used. Because many products are branded with multiple or different types of dates, however, this system can sometimes be confusing to consumers. In addition, companies seeking to maximize the use of packaging space with other information sometimes place these dates in areas where their customers are less likely to see them.

The “sell by” date, found on many food products, is generally used by stores to facilitate inventory rotation; ensuring product does not remain on the shelves indefinitely. Products with sell by dates generally remain safe for consumption after the date has passed, provided they are stored appropriately. Although many raw meat products contain sell by dates, these are helpful only if the food has been kept at a safe temperature. Moreover, they do not inform consumers the date by which the product should be used.