Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Understanding Expiry And Best-Before Dates On Packaged Foods
Packaged food in India must show important date information.
This includes when the food was made or packed.
It must also show an expiry or “use by” date.
A “best before” date is slightly different.
It usually tells you how long the food should keep its expected taste, texture, or other qualities.
Sometimes food can still be safe after that date, but it may not be as good.
Food that is unsafe must never be sold.
These rules help people understand the condition and safety of what they buy.
Indian packaged foods must display manufacture or packaging dates and an expiry or “use by” date.
A “best before” date may be provided as additional information.
“Best before” generally indicates how long a food should retain its expected qualities under stated storage conditions.
Food may sometimes remain safe after its best-before date, although its quality may decline.
Products that become unsafe must not be sold, even if their date information is present.
- Who
- Food manufacturers and sellers operating under India’s food-labelling framework.
- What
- Packaged foods must carry date information, and “best before” and expiry dates have different meanings.
- When
- The article does not specify a particular time.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- To provide information about a food’s manufacture, expected quality period, and safety.
- Required date information
- Date of manufacture or packaging and an expiry or “use by” date.
- Best-before date
- May be provided as additional information.
- Meaning of best before
- The period when food is expected to retain its specific qualities under stated storage conditions.
- Safety after best before
- Food can sometimes remain safe after its best-before date, though its quality may decline.
- Unsafe products
- Food that becomes unsafe should not be sold.
- Regulatory framework
- India’s food-labelling framework, including FSSAI regulations.