In Singapore, Best Before, Use By, Sell By and Expiry Date are accepted forms of an expiry date under the Food Regulations. The Singapore Food Agency says food must not be sold past its expiry date. If you are deciding what to keep at home, check the printed date, the storage directions and whether the pack has already been opened.
An unexpired date does not make food safe if it was stored incorrectly or the pack was damaged. After opening, follow instructions such as refrigerating the product or using it within a stated number of days. A packing date on fresh or chilled raw meat or fish is a different kind of information.
- Read the date together with the storage directions.
- Check whether the pack is intact and has been kept at the required temperature.
- After opening, follow the product’s separate directions.
- Treat a packing date as the date of packing and check the product’s other instructions.
In this guide
Section 1 of 5 · Distinguish an expiry mark from other information
Read the date as Singapore uses it
Food labels may come from several countries. Singapore’s Food Regulations accept several wordings for an expiry date. SFA explains that although these expressions can have different technical meanings, they are treated alike under Singapore’s rules on sale after the expiry date. Use the local guidance when buying food in Singapore. Singapore Food Agency’s guide to food labelling
| Label wording | What to check |
|---|---|
| Use By | Check the date and required storage conditions |
| Best Before | Treat it as an accepted expiry-date wording under Singapore’s regulations |
| Sell By | Check the expiry mark and choose food you can use in time |
| Expiry Date | Check the date, pack and storage conditions |
| Packing Date | Identifies when the food was packed and is different from an expiry date |
| Use within a stated period after opening | Track the opening date and follow the storage instruction |
SFA says certain foods must carry expiry dates, including categories of chilled food and other specified products. If a fresh or chilled raw meat or fish label gives a packing date, do not interpret it as the last safe day. Use the storage information, supplier instructions and safe handling guidance. SFA’s consumer guide to food dates
Section 2 of 5 · Use more than the printed date
Check the pack and storage history
The manufacturer’s date assumes that the product was handled as directed. A chilled dairy product left unrefrigerated or a damaged package needs a separate safety decision even when the printed date is still ahead. At the supermarket, check seals and avoid cans that are rusty, dented or swollen, in line with SFA guidance. SFA’s home food safety tips
What you can tell at the shelf
Check that cold items are displayed cold and that packaging is intact. Buy a quantity you can use before the date. For a short trip home, make chilled or frozen foods among your last purchases and store them appropriately when you get home.
What a smell check can tell you
An unusual odour or appearance can signal a problem, but food that looks or smells normal can still be unsafe if it was handled incorrectly. Use the storage history and label, and discard food if you cannot establish safe handling for a perishable product.
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Section 3 of 5 · Make the opening date easy to find
Follow the instructions after opening
Some packages ask you to refrigerate after opening or consume the product within a stated period. Write the opening date on the container if several people share it. Follow the opening instruction and the original date. If either applies sooner, use the earlier limit. SFA explains that an unopened pack’s expiry date no longer gives you its usable life once opened. SFA’s explanation of date marks and storage
An example from a shared fridge
Imagine a chilled product says to consume it within three days of opening and the original expiry date is next week. Opening it today starts the shorter period. Put today’s date on the container and refrigerate it as directed. If the pack date is earlier than the opening period would allow, keep to the earlier date.
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Section 4 of 5 · Plan the next use while you shop
Reduce waste before food expires
Put shorter-dated products where you will see them. Before buying a multipack, consider whether your household can finish it in time. If the product allows freezing, follow its directions and freeze it while it is still within the applicable limits. Freezing cannot make up for poor storage before freezing.
A shopping list can include when each fresh or chilled product will be used. Put one food into tonight’s meal and another into tomorrow’s lunch. The aim is to make the choice before a carton or container gets forgotten at the back of the fridge.
Make the label available to everyone
If you transfer food to another container, keep a record of the product name, the date and the storage instructions. That is especially useful for shared fridges and food that looks similar after opening. Keep the packaging if you also need ingredient, allergen or batch information.
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Section 5 of 5 · Make a clear decision at the shelf or fridge
Food date questions in Singapore
Can a shop sell a food item after its printed expiry date?
SFA says selling food past its expiry date is prohibited. The accepted expiry wordings include Best Before, Use By, Sell By and Expiry Date. Singapore Food Regulations on date marking
Is the packing date an expiry date?
It identifies when the food was packed. Check the rest of the label and follow the applicable storage and preparation instructions.
Can I use an unopened date after I open the product?
Follow the instructions for the opened product and any earlier applicable limit.
What if the pack is swollen or leaking before the date?
Avoid buying or using it. The date does not override signs that the package may be compromised.