Federal Lawmakers Push For Uniform Safety And Quality Labeling On Groceries

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- 'Best by' 'sell by' and 'use by' dates all appear on foods that we eat, but which one should we go by? And when is it time to toss an item in the trash?

As CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported, federal law makers are looking to clear up that confusion.

According to federal statistics Americans waste 35-million tons of food every year, and a lot of times our decision to throw it out is based on the sell by, use by, and best by dates printed on the package.

"Sometimes you're scared though because you're like what if I don't use it by then? Am I going to get something?" Dietitian Robin Barrie Kaiden explained.

'Best by' means best quality and taste, not necessarily time to trash it.

"If it's a couple weeks past the date, and it's a dry good, and it does have preservatives in it, it's likely safe," she said.

'Sell by' is all about when it has to leave the store shelves.

"That doesn't necessarily mean it's not safe, it's just a manufacturer recommendation," she said.

CBS2's cameras went inside a grocery store and saw all of those labels and more.

"Coleslaw contains mayonnaise, which contains eggs. I would probably eat this in the next one to three days max if you're going to take this home, and this isn't even a term that is regulated at all, it says 'packed on," Kaiden said.

Shoppers said some clarification would be helpful.

"I think it's confusing 'sell by', 'use by', how long do I keep things in the house? It would be easy if it were more straightforward," Gary Greenstein said.

A new bill to prevent the confusion and stop America's growing problem of food waste was introduced in both the House and the Senate on Wednesday, asking for regulation and two clear dates on every package.

"One 'expires on,' the other would be 'best if used by," Richard Blumenthal (D) said.

The process to make the Food Date Labeling Act a reality could take months of years. In the mean time, use your discretion.