How to check the production date in the United States
In today's world of globalization, more and more consumers are buying imported goods, especially food, medicine and daily necessities from the United States. Understanding how U.S. production dates are marked is critical to ensuring the freshness and safety of your products. This article will introduce in detail the common labeling format of the production date in the United States, and attach a structured data table to help you quickly master the interpretation method.
1. Common marking formats for production dates in the United States

Production dates in the United States are typically marked in one of the following ways, depending on the product type and the manufacturer's standards:
| Annotation format | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Month-Day-Year (MM-DD-YYYY) | 05-20-2024 | Commonly found in food and medicine, indicating production on May 20, 2024. |
| Year-month-day (YYYY-MM-DD) | 2024-05-20 | An internationally accepted format, adopted by some American manufacturers. |
| Julian Date | 2024141 | The first 4 digits are the year, and the last 3 digits are the day of the year (141 is May 20). |
| Abbreviation month + day + year | MAY 20 2024 | Clear and easy to read, mostly used in cosmetics and daily necessities. |
2. How to distinguish the production date and shelf life
American product labels may contain both the Manufacturing Date and the Expiration Date/Best Before. Here are the differences between the two:
| Terminology | meaning | Common annotations |
|---|---|---|
| MFG Date | Production date | MFG 05/20/2024 |
| EXP Date | Expiration date | EXP DEC 2025 |
| BB Date | Best before date | BEST BEFORE 2024-12-31 |
3. Date marking rules for special industries
Different industries may have special requirements for marking production dates:
| Industry | Labeling rules | Example |
|---|---|---|
| food | The production date or shelf life must be marked, and the format is more flexible. | PACKED ON: MAY 2024 |
| Medicines | Strictly follow the FDA format, usually MM/YYYY | LOT: 12345 MFG: 05/2024 |
| Cosmetics | The validity period after opening (such as 12M) coexists with the production date | Period After Opening: 6M |
4. How to verify the authenticity of the US production date
To avoid purchasing counterfeit or expired goods, consumers can verify through the following methods:
1.Check label integrity: The date of the regular product is clearly printed and there are no traces of alteration.
2.Contact the manufacturer: Check whether the batch number (LOT Number) matches the production date through the official website or customer service.
3.Use scanning tool: Some product barcodes can be scanned to obtain detailed production information.
5. Summary
There are various ways to mark the production date in the United States, but by mastering common formats and industry rules, consumers can easily judge the freshness of the product. It is recommended to give priority to products with clear labels when purchasing, and pay attention to distinguish the production date and shelf life. If you have any doubts about the date, please verify it through official channels in time to protect your rights.
Through the structured data tables and detailed instructions in this article, we hope to help you purchase American products with more confidence and avoid waste or health risks caused by date misunderstandings.
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