dec04The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering new guidance to help eliminate confusion prompted by expiration labels on food.

Confusion over expiration dates on eggs, meat and dairy products helps contribute to $162 billion in consumer food waste yearly in the United States, NACS reports.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service now encourages manufacturers and retailers to use a universal “Best if Used By” date label on their products. Except for infant formula, no foods are subject to federal standards regarding expiration dates.