India, July 2 -- California has become the first U.S. state to standardize food date labels, with a new law taking effect Wednesday that aims to reduce consumer confusion and curb food waste.
Under the law, food manufacturers can no longer use "Sell By" labels on products sold in the state and must instead use standardized labels indicating either product quality or safety.
Manufacturers are now required to use "Best if Used By" to indicate when a product is at its peak quality and "Use By" for foods where the date relates to safety.
The law is intended to help consumers distinguish between food that may have lost some freshness and food that is no longer safe to consume. The "Sell By" label, previously used primarily as guidance for ret...