SC - Food expiration dates

Wed May 19 00:04:41 PDT 1999

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Not exactly SCA topic, but "I" see the connection.  Background:  I live up in the
Ozark Mountains and maintain a good food storage supply.  While Husband and I
travelled thoughout the Known World over the past six months we were not at home
to rotate our food storage.  Upon returning home I made a packaged mix of a
bakery product that just didn't rise right.  I called the company and discussed
it with them.  Turned out it had expired some time ago.  This sent me on a quest
to figure out the dates on all the stuff on my shelves.  I hate to say it but I
threw a lot of stuff away.  I called every company and much to my surprise they
replaced almost all of it with free coupons.  They also helped me work out their
food expiration date mystery.  Just for the heck of it I took my new listing to
my (fairly) local large grocery store and yes, I would have purchased outdated
food STRAIGHT OFF THE SHELF.  Since most of us use canned or packaged food in
cooking even the most period or non-period feast I thought the listing might be
of use to someone else (well, actually my Peer thought it might)  It is sent as
an attachment.  Hope it works for I am not too computer literate.  :)

THLady Rayne

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MARTHA WHITE

C 8 J 1 2 2 3 5 9 D          
First letter  = month.  i.e.  A = JAN  B = FEB  C = MAR  D = APR
First Number = year  i.e.  8 = 1998
Remaining numbers and letters are processing data - location, factory, shift, etc.    

Baking goods last for 12 months.

BUTTER BUDS

0 7 2 7 A
First number doesn’t reflect expiration data.
Second number is the year  i.e. 7 = 1997  8 = 1998
Third number is the month   i.e. 1 = JAN  2 = FEB  3 = MAR  4 = APR

Butter buds have a four year shelf life.

LIPTON 

7 X 1 1 F C 1 5 
First number is the year  i.e. 7 = 1997  8 = 1998
Call and double check what equals the month.

Lipton dry products have a 12 - 15 months shelf life.

RIVIANA/MAHATMA RICE PRODUCTS

3 3 8 - M - 7 - A C D 
The first three numbers is the day of production in Julian Calendar (365 days in a year).
The first letter does not reflect expiration data.
The first number after the letter is the year.  i.e.  7 = 1997  8 = 1998

Rice has a 15 month shelf life.

BEST FOODS

8 2 9 A 7
The first number does not reflect expiration data.
The next two numbers = the day of production.  i.e.  29 is the twenty-ninth day of the month.
The letter = the month.  A = August
The last number is the year  i.e.  7 = 1997  8 = 1998

Best Foods dry products are good unopened indefinitely. Mayonnaise and non-dry products begin to lose their flavor after 2 -3 years. 

CANNED  JUICES 

Canned juices are good for 2 years from date of manufacturing.  After that date they begin to lose their flavor and vitamins.  The dates on canned juices are usually in “plain english”

SACO

8 2 2 0 
The first number is the year minus two.  8 minus 2 = 6  Product made in 1996.  0 - 2 = 1998
Next three numbers is the date in Julian.  220 = July (approximately) 

Canned Buttermilk is good for three years.

KRAFT

4 1 6 8 H 1 1 
The first number is the year  i.e.  4 = 1994  8 = 1998
The next three numbers is the date in Julian.  168 =  May (approximately)
The letter and following numbers are manufacturing data.

Jello pudding is good for two years.  Kool-aid  = 2 years.  Shake’n Bake = 18 mos.  
Glazes = 12 mos.

PIONEER 

P D 8 2 5 4 2 
The first two letters do not reflect expiration data.
The first number is the year  i.e.  8 = 1998
The next three numbers is the date in Julian.  254 =  AUG (approximately)
The final two numbers are manufacturing data.

Baking mix is good for 9 months.  Flour = 12 mos.  White Gravy Mix = 12 mos.   Brown Gravy = 9 mos.

PILLSBURY

I 7 M 0 5 2 B 1 0 3 
The first digit is always a letter (if it looks like the number one (1) it is the letter “I”).  The letter stands for the month.  A = JAN  B = FEB  I = SEP
The first number = the year  i.e.  7 = 1997  8 = 1998
The following two numbers is the day of production  i.e.  05 is the fifth day of the month.
The following numbers and letters reflect manufacturing data.

Pillsbury dry products are good for 18 months.

ROYAL

6 2 4 9 A M S 
The first number = the year  i.e.  6 = 1996  8 = 1998
The next three numbers = the date in Julian.  249 =  AUG (approximately)
The remaining letters are manufacturing data.

Royal dry products are good for 12 months.

GOLD METAL

M 6 1 0 K B 9 A 
The first letter = the month.  Gold Metal uses a mid-year cycle calendar.  A = JUN  B = JUL (they skip the 
letter “I”)  J = FEB   M = MAY
The first number is the year  i.e. 6 = 1996  8 = 1998
The next two numbers is the month of production.  i.e.  10 = the tenth day.

Gold Metal dry products are good for 12 months.

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