It's Called an "Expiration" Date

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Sep 30, 2005 8:46PM

If you're like Chicagoist- and why would you be?- you wait until the weekend to go grocery shopping. If you're also like Chicagoist and tend to shop at independent grocers you wonder why some of these stores don't dust the shelves more often, how long has that can of cling peaches been sitting there, and is that surface rust on that dented can of tuna? You might let the checking of expiration dates slip a bit, also, seeing as your schedule is pretty busy.

Well, the city's been cracking down on those same grocers this year. To date the Department of Consumer Services has won over $145,000 in judgments against independent grocers and convenience stores for numerous violations, including the selling of expired merchandise.

Among the guilty parties are stores in well-heeled neighborhoods, like Streeterville's East Delaware Pantry, which was fined $10,000 for selling 43 expired products, including baby cereal that expired this past March and a weight-loss shake that should have been off the shelves two years ago. Lincoln Park-based Carnival Foods was handed down a $2500 fine for selling baby formula that should have been removed from shelves six weeks before inspectors made their visit to the store. This should make the stroller patrol wary.

Anyhoo, regardless of where you shop, please check the expiration dates on all your perishables and medicines and report any violations to the Department of Consumer Services. If these store owners know that you're watching them they'll hopefully do their jobs. Otherwise Chicagoist is gonna have to shop at Whole Foods, which really cuts into our beer money.