Bill > HR3981

This bill, the Food Date Labeling Act of 2019, establishes requirements for "quality dates" and "discard dates" on food packaging. Quality dates indicate when the quality of the food may start to deteriorate, while discard dates indicate the end of the estimated shelf life, after which the food labeler advises the product not to be consumed. The use of these dates is optional for food labelers, but if used, they must follow standardized labeling phrases specified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The bill also provides for consumer education on the meaning of these dates and preempts state laws related to the inclusion of these dates on food labels.