Be Informed Before You Shop

Contents

Introduction

Page 1

How To Interpret Dates

Page 2

Buying Ground Bt;ef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Page 4

Grocery Rain Checks

" Page 5

Introduction
The Georgia Department of Agriculture receives severalthousand consumer questions and complaints yearly relating to food products. The majority of these queries relate to food dating; labeling; advertisements; grocery store conditions; and, the marketing of homemade products. It is hoped that the information in this pamphlet will help you in your grocery purchase as well as educate you as to the role the Georgia Department of Agriculture, in ensuring that the food products you purchase are wholesome for you and your family.
Fact
Under State Law, all food handling establishments (restaurants excluded) are required to be licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
1

How To Read and Interpret Food Dates
MAYOR
Most packaged food products have open dating or code dating. Open dating is any date on packaged food that can be easily read and understood by the consumer. What the date specifically means and where and how it appears on the package may vary, but the purpose of the date remains the same -to help assure that you buy and use fresh food.
Many food processors and retailers are now putting open dates on perishable and semi-perishable foods. The date may be shown alpha-numerically (JUL 10), or in numbers only (0710 or 7-10). It mayor may not include the year. If it does, 1984 may be shown just as 4.
2

Several types of open dates may be used on food items: Pull Date - This is the last day the retail store may sell the item as fresh. The date is designed to allow you a reasonable amount of time to store and use the product at home, even if it is purchased on the pull date. How long the product should be offered for sale and how much home storage time is allowed are determined by the processor, based on his knowledge of the product and its shelf life. When you see "Sell by Jan 15" on the package, it doesn't imply you shouldn't use the product after that date. The date represents the last day of fresh sale so you will have time to store and use it at home. Freshness Date - This shows how long the processor thinks his product will be at peak quality. Some time after the "freshness date" (and there will always be a cushion of time allowed), the food will no longer be of optimum quality. This doesn't mean that it will be unacceptable or that you shouldn't use it; it does mean that the processor would like you to use the product while its at its peak. The label on the item might say something like "Better if used by July 1984." Pack Date - This is the date of final packaging or processing. Although it is sometimes used, it may not be very helpful to shoppers who don't have the technical expertise to judge the shelf life of thousands of different items. Expiration Date - This is the last day the item should be consumed. It is virtually never used because quality changes occur slowly and it is simply not possible to say that an item will be acceptable one day and unacceptable to next. Ofthese dates, the "pull date" and the "quality assurance or freshness date" are in most widespread use. When you see an unexplained date on a food package, you might check with the store manager for an explanation. But it is important to remember that the date is not a "throwaway date."
Fact
Under State Law, the only food products required to have dates are eggs, milk, baby formula and sandwiches. Any date voluntarily placed or required must be honored as last day of sale. Only a packing date is required on eggs, beyond which they may be sold as fresh for 31 days.
3

Be A Label Reader When Buying
Ground Beef/Hamburger
G ) Keep(2)
Refrigerated
<DBEEF PATTIES SOY ADDED a>~~~ (j) NET WT. 160Z (1 LBJ @)====
Be a label reader when buying pre-packed meats for your family. It can be very helpful.
See the sketch on the opposite page. Pre-packed meats must contain the following information:
1) product identification; 2) ingredients with the item weighing first, on down to the item weighing least; 3) the net weight of the product; 4) the packer or distributor's name and address and 5) the mark of inspection (however, if the product is packaged in the store this mark may not be on the label). The product may also include an additive 6) which must be printed with the name.
Storage instructions 7) may also be included on the package. A pictured illustration 8) of prepared food must be labeled "serving suggestion." Likewise, if six slices of meat are shown, the package must contain six slices of meat.
Remember, in buying meat products, the labels are there for the consumer's benefit.
4

Get A Rain Check
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Being a wise shopper means checking the newspaper and watching for advertised specials. It also means asking for rain checks when the advertised products are not available.
Fact
Any store advertising for sale, at retail or wholesale, a product not available during any day ofthe advertised period, shall, on demand of the customer issue a "Rain Check" which will permit the consumer to purchase the advertised item at the advertised price within ten days of the original offering date.

5

dial 09 con/umct line

fot action and on/wetl on

animal feed antifreeze bedding bees canned goods dairy products exterminators farmers markets fertilizers food processing food warehouses frozen foods

fuels gasoline grain scales grocery scales grocery stores insects labels meat inspection pesticides plant nurseries treated timber products seeds

GEORGIA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

1-800-282-5852

6

For Answers Phone: 656-3645 (Metro)
1-800-282-5852 (State-wide)
Tommy Irvin, Commissioner

Prepared by Brenda James Jones

April 1984