# Sell by Date!!!!



## big dee (Jun 29, 2012)

Getting ready for a two day cook fest. So I went to my local store to pick up pork shoulder and brisket. Got the pork rubbed and in the fridge. Opened up the brisket and didn't like the smell so checked the sell by date and it was past by two days. I always purchase meat from this store and have never had a problem. So from now on I will check the sell by date. Any other store I always check I guess I just got careless. Good side of this is the Mrs. took the brisket back and they replaced it, At the same time they also found some that had expired by almost a week.

*Always check the sell by date!!!*

*Dennis*


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## bama bbq (Jul 1, 2012)

Wow!  I always took for granted the store kept a good eye on this.  I never even ck...but will now.


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## alblancher (Jul 1, 2012)

Time that store got a new meat manager.  All kinds of liability there


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## pops6927 (Jul 1, 2012)

It is ultimately the manager's, store manager's, meat specialist's, and the district supervisor's responsibility.  The 1st didn't do his or her job, and neither did all the rest.  The meat manager assigns code-dating as a responsibility to the head wrapper or wrapper-on-duty; he or she is out in front of the case the most and has to objectively 'cull the case' of all close and outdated product based on store and company guidelines.

 Likewise, the cutter, first cutter and manager's jobs are to "inspect what you expect" and follow up and double check all code-dating.  So, there can be several eyes looking within the department.

Consequently, the store manager is responsible to be spot-checking all cases for code-dating issues; meat, produce, dairy, deli, bakery, specialty and grocery departments.  He or she must be up on notices of code-dating issues and in conjunction with vendors and reps, also.  I lived in fear that someone, anyone, outside my department found an out-of-code product.  That was my responsibility.

Then, when district specialists for each department visited the store, it was their responsibility to confer with the store manager on any problems found, as well and share in the accolades too, if any*.  When their boss, the District Supervisor, came around, if he or she found any outdated products, he or she should be asking: "Who's Looking????"  See how it escalates?  And the higher up it goes, the more severe one single outdated package goes.  I've gotten calls as a specialist to be at a store 6 am for code-dating issues, all the specialists check all departments and cull all cases; the store manager is usually replaced when that happens.

Ultimately, the final inspection is the health department inspection, weights and measures, or county wholesome foods departments; if they find outdated, leaking, rancid, off-condition or underweight products left out for sale, you get fined and your store's name gets in the paper.  That's disaster!

So, for her to take it back and someone discover there's more outdated product is a pretty serious offense and should be dealt with harshly; write-up, warning or termination is in order.

*accolades, if any - In the retail grocery business, there is but one true statement:  Every Day you wake up you automatically know you are wrong; all the rest of the day everyone else will tell you to what extent!


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## southernsausage (Jul 1, 2012)

Even if has a week or two left on the "sell-by" date, JUST SMELL IT...To heck with what somebody else tells you.

Like Bob Dylan says, "You don't need a weatherman to tell you which way the winds blow."


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## southernsausage (Jul 1, 2012)

Several Years ago my dad and I bought about 20 racks of babybacks from Sam's. (We had a family reunion to cook for)..The sell-by date was 2 weeks...they were vac-sealed from the factory!  Opened them up and they were RANK, Rotten, Rancid...We opened each pack, they all were in the same condition...Several things could have happened, but if I had to put some money on it, I would say they got hot somewhere along the way during transport from the processor to the distributor to Sam's...I ALWAYS use my NOSE....


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## alblancher (Jul 1, 2012)

I guess if I was going to buy a case of ribs from Sam's I'd ask them to cut open a pack or two and give them a smell.  If you put them directly into an ice chest for the ride home you should be ok.


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## southernsausage (Jul 1, 2012)

Definitely AL...I've never bought ribs from them again...My dad regularly shops there but I don't. I just go to Kroger or the local Specialty Meat Market(if I've got a little extra to buy the PRIME).


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## diggingdogfarm (Jul 1, 2012)

Buy as far from the "sell by" date as possible, keep ice cold and use ASAP.
It's also a good idea to ask when new shipments come in and shop on that day,
Several of my friends have had problems with meats close to the sell by date.


~Martin


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## oldvirginiajoe (Nov 27, 2012)

As one of those government food inspectors myself, I can tell you all that in my state (named "best managed state in the US"), there is NO LAW against selling outdated foods, EXCEPT for (1) infant formula and (2) Grade A dairy fluid milk products. Yes, you heard right.  I assume most, if not all the other states have similar legal situations. Thus, an inspector cannot demand most out of date foods be pulled off the shelves when he sees it during an inspection. We agree, it is not good business to sell antique foods, but we cannot perform our job duties on what we personally think is only a "bad idea."  We have to work with the law as it is, not as we wish it were. Now, if a food is spoiled, infested, or otherwise "unwholesome," we can prohibit its sale, regardless of how much shelf life time is still on the label. Condition is really the only factor which we can go on in this regard. Also, remember this distinction in terms: "Food safety" is NOT the same as "food quality." Spoilage is a food safety issue, and subject to regulation. Rancidity or staleness is not. Those are considered food quality, and those are not regulated under the law. I buy many reduced-priced foods that are out of date for me and my family, as a cost saver, and I have a good feel for what those foods are.  YMMV.


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