Companion bills in the House and Senate aim to reduce food waste by standardizing the food-date labeling now presented in a confusing array of phrases such as “sell by,” “use by,” and “expires on.” The legislation by Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Chellie Pingree of Maine is backed by food processors, consumer groups, environmentalists and the leading food-gleaning charity.
A release from Pingree’s office said the bill “establishes a uniform national system for date labeling that clearly distinguishes between foods that bear a label indicating peak quality from foods that bear a label indicating they may become unsafe to consume past the date. This bill would also ensure that food is allowed to be sold or donated after its quality date, and educate consumers about the meaning of new labels so that they can make better economic and safety decision.”
The government estimates that from 30-40 percent of the U.S. food supply is lost to waste each year, totaling 133 billion pounds. The Obama administration set a goal of cutting waste in half by 2030.