Expired Foods in Low-Income Area: A Policy Paradox

In vulnerable communities nationwide, residents experience limited access to high-quality fresh foods. The lack of access is exacerbated by large number of expired goods. A research collaboration between Community Health Councils, Inc. (CHC) and the University of Southern California (USC) examined the rate and type of expired goods in South Los Angeles. The results of that research reveal a policy paradox in the area of food nutrition around public health concern and consumer education on product dating.

The study relies on the qualitative results of individual stories and focus groups in addition to a sample of 600 inventories taken as part of a community-based social-marketing campaign to monitor select foods at grocery stores in South Los Angeles. CHC staff also explored current federal, state, and local regulation surrounding expired goods and emerging policies.

First, we found at least three expired poultry, meat and dairy products in 18% of the grocery stories visited and a higher percentage selling expired goods. Second, efforts by the CHC and USC researchers to unravel the regulations around expired products demonstrated a large variance between state and local policies and enforcement practices.

Even though manufacturers state when a good is expired, local, state, and federal enforcement practices largely ignore expiration dates as a public health concern. We assert that the presence of these products poses a risk to community public health and argue for clearer local, state, and federal response to monitoring the presence of such goods.