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| Public Act 103-0208 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning health.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act is | ||||
amended by adding Section 11.5 as follows: | ||||
(410 ILCS 620/11.5 new) | ||||
Sec. 11.5. Standardization of food labeling. | ||||
(a) As used in this Section: | ||||
"Quality date" means a date on a label affixed to the | ||||
packaging or a container of food that communicates to | ||||
consumers the date after which the food quality may begin to | ||||
deteriorate but the food may still be acceptable for | ||||
consumption. | ||||
"Safety date" means a date on a label affixed to the | ||||
packaging or container of food that communicates to consumers | ||||
that the food should be consumed or frozen, if appropriate, by | ||||
the date listed on the package that applies to perishable | ||||
products with potential safety implications over time. | ||||
"Sell by date" means a date on a label affixed to the | ||||
packaging or container of food that is intended to communicate | ||||
primarily to a distributor or retailer for purposes of stock | ||||
rotation and is not a quality date or a safety date. | ||||
(b) The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with | ||||
the Department of Public Health, shall, on or before July 1, | ||
2024, publish information to encourage food manufacturers, | ||
processors, and retailers responsible for the labeling of food | ||
products to voluntarily use the following uniform terms on | ||
food product labels to communicate quality dates and safety | ||
dates: | ||
(1) "BEST if Used by" or "BEST if Used or Frozen by" to | ||
indicate the quality date of a product; and | ||
(2) "USE by" or "USE by or Freeze by" to indicate the | ||
safety date of a product. | ||
(c) The Department of Agriculture shall promote the | ||
consistent use of the terms specified pursuant to subsection | ||
(b) in the course of its existing interactions with food | ||
manufacturers, processors, and retailers. | ||
(d) In the process of implementing subsection (b), the | ||
Department shall encourage food distributors and retailers to | ||
develop alternatives to consumer-facing "sell by" dates. | ||
(e) The Department may accept nonstate funds from public | ||
and private sources to educate consumers about the meaning of | ||
the quality dates and safety dates specified in this Section. | ||
Funds accepted by the Department pursuant to this subsection | ||
shall be deposited into the Food and Drug Safety Fund.
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