California is to become the first state July 1 to standardize food date labels, eliminating confusing "sell by" dates in an effort to reduce food waste, help consumers save money, and make it easier to determine when food is still safe to eat.

Assembly Bill 660 takes effect July 1 and requires food manufacturers selling products in California to use only two consumer-facing labels when dates are included: "Best if used by" for food quality and "Use by" for food safety.

The law applies to products manufactured on or after July 1. It does not require all foods to carry date labels.

Supporters say the simplified labeling system will help consumers distinguish between food that may have declined in quality and food that is no longer safe to eat, reducing the amount of edible food that ends up in the trash.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, who authored the legislation, said the measure addresses a problem nearly every consumer has faced.

"Having to wonder whether our food is still good is an issue that we all have struggled with," Irwin said after the bill was signed.

"Today's signing of AB 660 is a monumental step to keep money in the pockets of consumers while helping the environment and the planet."

Consumer advocates say confusion over food labels has contributed to billions of dollars' worth of unnecessary food waste.

According to a Harris Poll cited by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, 88% of Americans say they have thrown away food because they misunderstood date labels, resulting in an estimated $7 billion in wasted food each year.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the average American throws away about $728 worth of food annually, or nearly $2,900 for a family of four.

In California alone, roughly 6 million tons of food is discarded every year, while the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery estimates that 2.5 billion meals worth of edible food are thrown away annually.

Erica Parker, policy associate with Californians Against Waste, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said the current system leaves consumers unsure whether food is safe to eat.

"The inconsistent use of phrases like 'Sell By,' 'Expires On,' 'Freshest Before,' and others makes for an impossible-to-navigate system for consumers who don't want to throw away good food or make their families sick," Parker said.

Supporters also point to the environmental benefits.

Organic waste generates about 41% of California's methane emissions as food decomposes in landfills, making food waste a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Officials say reducing unnecessary food waste will also leave more edible food available for food banks.

The law prohibits consumer-facing "sell by" labels but still allows manufacturers to use coded dates for inventory management.

Products may instead be labeled "Best if used by" to indicate peak quality or "Use by" when food safety could become a concern.

Because California is one of the nation's largest consumer markets, supporters believe many manufacturers will adopt the standardized labels nationwide rather than create separate packaging for products sold inside and outside the state.