The Importance of Date Marking

Date marking on-site prepared ready-to-eat food or commercially prepared food after it is opened helps indicate when food is no longer safe to eat. Date marking is a way to control foodborne pathogen growth, in particular Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes can grow under refrigeration. 

According to the FDA Food Code, ready-to-eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods that are either prepared on-site in a food establishment or opened after being processed commercially must be labeled and dated if they are stored in a refrigerator for more than 24 hours. In addition:  

• Food should not be kept for more than 7 days. Some commercially prepared foods may have shorter use by dates. Follow the guidelines given for those foods. Also, use your best judgment on the quality of the food. The food may be safe, but it may not be of acceptable quality for 7 days based on your establishment’s standards.  

• Food should be marked with a date indicating when the food should be eaten, sold, or thrown out. It is acceptable to mark the day the food was prepared, or container opened on the label OR mark the label with an end/discard date. Foods that are combined need to be marked with the earliest date of the processed food. Whatever method you choose to use, train your employees in that system.