(CBS News)  

It's a question millions of us try to answer every day: How long is food safe to eat after its sell-by date has passed?

 

On "The Early Show on Saturday Morning," dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of "The F-Factor Diet," shared some advice for this dietary dilemma and what the dates stamped on food products really mean.

Zuckerbrot explained the three most common dates are Sell-By Date, Use-By Date, and Expiration Date. But what do they mean?

Sell-By Date: Refers to the last day a retailer can display a product for sale; typically a food is safe to eat for 10 days after the Sell-by Date if refrigerated properly.

Use-By Date: Refers to the last day a product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor, and texture. Beyond this date, the product begins to deteriorate although it is still edible.

Expiration Date: Means what it says - if you haven't used a product by this date, toss it.