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Swift Rat:

I can't speak for Veterinary products (and that's what these are), but from a human food perspective I can tell you what the difference is.

A Use-by-date is the date that the food must be consumed by if kept under the correct storage conditions. To consume it after this date poses a serious health risk. It is illegal for goods to be sold after their Use-by-date. Examples include milk, meat, chilled oysters etc.

A Best-Before date is the date the manufacturer guarantees the quality of the product (assuming the food is not abused i.e. subjected to extremes of temperatures). After that date the food is still edible, but the manufacturer doesn't guarantee the taste. In most cases the food is certainly edible and in many cases doesn't taste any diferent. It is legal to sell food after it's Best-before, and many businesses will sell the product at a reduced price. Near where I live is a weekly market and one of the vendors there sells food that is close to or past it's best before. The food is very cheap and tastes fine!

However: medicines are not classed as food. They come under the scrutiny of the TGA, and may have differences as far as Use-by-dates go (I don't think they have Best-befores). Veterinary products may be similar, but as you said "I can't see grinded up clam shell with D3 vits "going off" like normal food does".



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