A date marked on a perishable product, especially a foodstuff, indicating the recommended date by which it should be used or consumed.
〈主英〉（尤指食品）使用期限
check the use-by date on the packet
Example sentencesExamples
A former shopkeeper has been fined for having perishable food on sale past its use-by date.
Check use-by dates on packaging and pay particular attention to perishable foods, such as vacuum packed smoked salmon or ham and dairy products.
These dates - particularly the use-by dates - are important.
The court was told that some of the food was up to 46 days past its use-by date.
When shopping for bagged salads, remember to carefully check the use-by date and look for signs of spoilage.
Pine nuts can rapidly become rancid due to their high oil content, so buy only small amounts and always check the use-by date.
Use-by dates are used for foodstuffs that have a short shelf life and which, from a microbiological point of view, are likely to be harmful to health if consumed after the use-by date.
The Fareshare scheme in Southampton receives 26,000 trays of food past the sell-by date but within the use-by date donated by supermarkets each year.
The food industry is always looking for new ways to push back their products' use-by dates.
Sainsbury's said: ‘All use-by dates applied to our own brand products are set by Sainsbury's food safety experts to ensure the product is both safe and of the best quality.’