The shelf life of food should be scientifically determined, but some manufacturers are arbitrary or make a rough estimate. There is no mandatory shelf life for most food and health departments, but as long as the factory is more formal, it dare not set the shelf life arbitrarily, because if the shelf life is too long, the food may deteriorate within the shelf life and the factory will be punished. The shelf life is an artificial date, and harmful substances such as bacteria will not grow and reproduce under the shelf life. Generally speaking, the longer food is stored, the more harmful it is to people, and the lower its nutrition. The storage conditions of food during the shelf life also have a great influence on the deterioration of food. For example, if a cake is wrapped in plastic paper and sold in the sun, it is easy to deteriorate, while if it is sold in the refrigerator, it can last for a long time. Legally speaking, people can claim compensation if they eat it within the shelf life (it should mean eating it immediately after folding), but they can't get compensation if they eat it beyond the shelf life because of consumers' storage. Theoretically speaking, food that exceeds the shelf life should not be eaten again. This can be said to be a common practice. The food beyond the shelf life can never be sold again. Whether the food beyond the shelf life is absolutely inedible is not stipulated by law. You can judge for yourself based on the above contents.

There are new provisions on the shelf life of food.

Not long ago, the State Light Industry Bureau made new provisions on the shelf life of food. The specific period is:

Milk powder: canned tinplate is 12 months; 9 months in glass bottles; 511g plastic bag for 4 months; Tinplate canned sweet condensed milk is 9 months; Sweet condensed milk in glass bottles is 3 months.

malt extract: tinned and tinned for 1.2 months; 9 months in glass bottles; Plastic bags are packed for 3 months.

Candy: produced in the first and fourth quarters for 3 months; The production in the second and third quarters is 2 months (the production in the rainy season is 1 months).

cans: 24 months for canned fish and poultry; Canned fruits and vegetables are 1.5 months; Pop cans, glass bottles of juice and vegetable juice drinks are 6 months.

drinks: juice soda, fruit soda and cola soda are bottled in glass for 3 months; Canned for 6 months.

alcohol: the cooked beer with the degree of 11-12 is superior or better for 4 months, and the ordinary beer is 2 months; 14 degree beer for 3 months; 11.5 degree cooked beer for 51 days; 6 months for wine and fruit wine; Sparkling wine for 3 months; Bottled yellow wine is tentatively set for 3 months; Dew wine for 6 months.

biscuits: tinned and tinned for 3 months; Plastic bags for 2 months; Bulk is 1 months.

others: 3 months for instant noodles packed in plastic bags; Sandwich chocolate for 3 months; Pure chocolate is 6 months; Fried dried fruits, canned tomato sauce in iron and bottled glass are 1.2 months; Soy sauce and vinegar for 6 months.