Standard 1.2.5 - Date Marking of Packaged Food

Issue1351Standard1.2.5STANDARD1.2.5DATEMARKINGOFFOODPurposeThisStandardprescribesadatemarkingsystemforfoodandtheforminwhichthosefoodsmustbedatemarked.TheStandardrequiresfood,withsomeexceptions,tobedatemarked,andprohibitsthesaleoffoodaftertheexpirationoftheuse-bydate,wheresuchadatemarkisrequired.Inparticular,clause2ofthisStandardsetsoutthecircumstancesinwhichause-bydatemustbeusedinsteadofabest-beforedate.TableofProvisions1Interpretation2Foodmustbedatemarked3Prohibitiononsaleoffoodaftertheuse-bydate4Prescribedformofdatemark5Prescribedformofdate6Statementofstorageconditions7ExclusivedatemarkingsystemtobeusedClauses1InterpretationInthisStandard–baked-fordate,inrelationtobread,meansadatenotlaterthan12hoursafterthetimethebreadwasbaked.Editorialnote:Forexample,breadthatisbakedaftermiddayononedaymayhavea‘baked-for’dateforthefollowingday.baked-ondate,inrelationtobread,meansthedateonwhichthebreadwasbaked.best-beforedate,inrelationtoapackageoffood,meansthedatewhichsignifiestheendoftheperiodduringwhichtheintactpackageoffood,ifstoredinaccordancewithanystatedstorageconditions,willremainfullymarketableandwillretainanyspecificqualitiesforwhichexpressorimpliedclaimshavebeenmade.use-bydate,inrelationtoapackageoffood,meansthedatewhichsignifiestheendoftheestimatedperiodifstoredinaccordancewithanystatedstorageconditions,afterwhichtheintactpackageoffoodshouldnotbeconsumedbecauseofhealthorsafetyreasons.2Foodmustbedatemarked(1)UnlessotherwiseexpresslyprescribedinthisCode,thelabelonapackageoffoodmustinclude–(a)itsuse-bydate,wherethefoodshouldbeconsumedbeforeacertaindatebecauseofhealthorsafetyreasons;or(b)whereparagraph2(1)(a)doesnotapply,itsbest-beforedate;unless–FederalRegisterofLegislativeInstrumentsF2012C00762Issue1352Standard1.2.5(c)thebest-beforedateofthefoodistwoyearsormore;or(d)thefoodis–(i)anindividualportionoficecreamoriceconfection;or(ii)inasmallpackage,exceptwherethefoodshouldbeconsumedbeforeacertaindatebecauseofhealthorsafetyreasons.(2)Reserved.Editorialnote:Standard1.2.1setsouttheexemptionstothegenerallabellingrequirementsinthisCode,andprovidesadefinitionof‘smallpackage’.(3)Thelabelonapackageofbreadwithashelflifelessthan7days,mayincludeinsteadofabest-beforedate–(a)itsbaked-ondate;or(b)itsbaked-fordate.3Prohibitiononsaleoffoodaftertheuse-bydateFoodmustnotbesoldpastitsuse-bydate.4Prescribedformofdatemark(1)Abest-beforedatemustusethewords–‘BestBefore’accompaniedbythedateorareferencetowherethedateislocatedinthelabel.(2)Ause-bydatemustusethewords–‘UseBy’accompaniedbythedateorareferencetowherethedateislocatedinthelabel.(3)Abaked-fordatemustuseeitherthewords–‘BakedFor’;or‘BkdFor’accompaniedbythedateorareferencetowherethedateislocatedinthelabel.(4)Abaked-ondatemustuseeitherthewords–‘BakedOn’;or‘BkdOn’accompaniedbythedateorareferencetowherethedateislocatedinthelabel.5Prescribedformofdate(1)Ifthebest-beforedateoruse-bydateofafoodisnotmorethan3monthsfromthedateitisapplied,thedatemarkmustconsistatleastofthedayandmonth,expressedinthatorder.(2)Ifthebest-beforedateoruse-bydateofafoodismorethan3monthsfromthedateitisapplied,thedatemarkmustconsistatleastofthemonthandyear,expressedinthatorder.FederalRegisterofLegislativeInstrumentsF2012C00762Issue1353Standard1.2.5(3)Thebest-beforedateanduse-bydatemustbeexpressedinnumericalform,exceptforthemonthwhichmaybeexpressedinletters.Wherethemonthisexpressedinletters,themonthmayprecedetheday.(4)Theday,monthandyearsoexpressedwithinthebest-beforeoruse-bydatemustbedistinguishable.Examples:Forsubclause5(1)–23Decor231223122012or23Dec2012Forsubclause5(2)–Dec2012or12201223122012or23Dec2012Forsubclause5(3)–23Dec2012orDec2320126StatementofstorageconditionsThelabelonapackageoffoodmustincludeastatementofanyspecificstorageconditionsrequiredtoensurethatthefoodwillkeepfortheperiodindicatedbytheuse-bydate,orthebest-beforedate.7Exclusivedatemarkingsystemtobeused(1)Subjecttosubclause(2),thelabelonapackageoffoodmustnotincludeadatemarkingsystemotherthanthatprescribedbythisStandard.(2)Subclause(1)doesnotprecludethelabelonapackageoffoodfromincludingapacked-ondateoramanufacturer’sorpacker’scodeinadditiontotherequireduse-bydateorbest-beforedate.FederalRegisterofLegislativeInstrumentsF2012C00762Issue1354Standard1.2.5{THISPAGEINTENTIONALLYLEFTBLANK}FederalRegisterofLegislativeInstrumentsF2012C00762