This bill establishes standards for food date labeling in New Jersey and mandates the Commissioner of Health to create a public education program and guidelines related to food safety. It defines two types of date labels: a "quality date," which indicates when food quality may begin to deteriorate but is still safe for consumption, and an "elevated-risk date," which signifies a high level of risk associated with consuming time/temperature control for safety food. The bill specifies that quality dates must be labeled with the phrase "BEST if Used By," while elevated-risk dates must use "USE By." Retail food facilities are not liable for manufacturers' labeling failures and can sell or donate food past its quality date, but cannot do so after the elevated-risk date.

Additionally, the bill amends existing regulations for fluid milk products, requiring them to be labeled with a quality date instead of a sell-by date. It prohibits the sale of food labeled with a sell-by date intended for stock rotation unless presented in a coded format not easily readable by consumers. The Commissioner of Health is empowered to designate additional foods as time/temperature control for safety foods and must post this information online. The bill also emphasizes the importance of educating consumers about food date labels and safe food handling practices to reduce confusion regarding food safety.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 24:10-57.23