Are "expiration" and "sell by" dates intended to communicate how long the product will last - even once opened? Or are they only meaningful in terms of shelf life before opened? A jar of peanut butter might have an expiration date 2 years off. But that's only if it remains unopened, right? It's not going to last 2 years once exposed to oxygen, etc. Right? I read these two pages and am aware that these dates are guidance only, not law, and that they are imprecise, and sometimes refer only to flavor / quality not safety. I'm just trying to understand the opened/unopened thing.
posted by scarabic on Oct 3, 2007 - 12 answers

Does fish oil last like any other oil? [more inside]
posted by gttommy on Aug 13, 2007 - 6 answers

Why does laser toner have an expiry date? My laser toner cartridge finally ran "dry" after 8 years of use (same cartridge) and the replacement refill that I purchased has an expiry date which is listed as a little over year from now. I also believe that most new cartridges also have an expiry date but since mine lasted for so long, I don't understand the purpose of having an expiry date.
posted by DonM on Jul 17, 2007 - 8 answers

What requirements are there for passport validity when entering the UK and France? [more inside]
posted by Big Fat Tycoon on Apr 13, 2007 - 10 answers

Is there a utility or method to modify the expiry date of a cookie in Firefox from any website? [more inside]
posted by Big Fat Tycoon on May 16, 2005 - 4 answers