[mountainmist]

I was hoping to find a list of instructions of how to read the funny expiration dates on generic foods which do not have actual plain DATES on them.

I'm thinking of never purchasing any more brands which do not have readable dates prominently displayed.

In my search for information about expiration dates, I've run across postings by people stating they find so much expired food on their local grocery shelves because the stockers only rarely put the new stock in the back.

Well.... if I cannot easily read the expiration date, on the inexpensive generic fruits & veggies.... how am I to determine if maybe some of these items are seriously post their prime??

And I'm pretty irritated that I've heard nothing about many recalls, absolutely nothing.

Also learned at gardenweb that the reason that jarred garlic has such a very short expiration date period is that jarred garlic eventually turns to formaldehyde - something else I'd never ever heard of.