WASHINGTON -- The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture re-issued its regulations for package dating following an undercover investigation of supermarket meat and seafood departments by "Dateline NBC." The rules can be found on the agency's Web site, www.fsis.usda.gov.
on of such information is voluntary.
The summary does note that if sell-by dates are part of the package labeling, and come from a federally inspected facility, then a retailer may not alter or remove the date -- as long as the product remains in its original packaging. The agency also notes that state or local regulations may include a requirement that bars changing such dates, regardless of packaging.
