Summary of House No. 2205: Standardizing Date Labeling

Objective:

• Goal: Decrease food waste by implementing uniform date labeling phrases for food products.

Key Provisions:

The act seeks to reduce consumer confusion about food freshness and safety, thereby minimizing unnecessary food waste.

Date Labeling Phrases:

Quality Dates: Use “best if used by” to indicate when a product may start to deteriorate in quality, though it may still be safe to consume.

Safety Dates: Use “expires on” for products where consumption after this date may pose a health risk, particularly for ready-to-eat items.

Implementation Timeline:

Effective Date: The act applies to food products labeled on or after two years from the enactment date.

Regulatory Oversight:

Commissioner of Public Health:

Criteria Establishment: Responsible for setting criteria to identify high-risk ready-to-eat products.

Exemptions and Listings: Can exempt certain products or list additional high-risk items based on consumption safety.

Education: Must educate consumers on the meaning of the new labels within one year of the act’s enactment.

Labeling Requirements:

Format: Dates and phrases must be clear, easy to read, and prominently displayed on packaging.

Sales and Use:

Quality Dates: Products can still be sold, donated, or used after the quality date has passed.

Safety Dates: Restrictions may be imposed on sales or use after the safety date has passed.

Legislative Details:

Presented by: Hannah Kane and others.

Bill Number: House No. 2205

Source: https://legiscan.com/MA/text/H2205/id/2748272/Massachusetts-2023-H2205-Introduced.pdf##~https://legiscan.com/MA/text/H2205/2023##~https://legiscan.com/MA/bill/H2205/2023

Region: United States