The state of California passed a law that regulates food labels, so consumers no longer have to play a guessing game.

The California legislation signed by Governor Newsom aims to cut down on food waste and end consumer confusion.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law aimed at clearing up the meanings of expiration dates on foods. Assembly Bill 660 will require most expiration date labeling on food packaging to either use the phrase “USE by” or “BEST if Used by.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom over the weekend signed Assembly Bill 660 into law, which standardizes food package labeling. It will have to read either “best if used by” to denote peak product freshness or “use by” to denote when a food product is no longer safe to eat.

With no federal regulations dictating what information these labels should include, the stamps have led to consumer confusion — and nearly 20% of the nation's food waste, according to the FDA.

California wants to help end the everyday household debate over whether the food in the fridge is still good to eat. Food labels that say "sell by" or "best before" are misleading because they have no universal meaning under current laws.

On September 28, California became the first state to ban “sell-by” dates, as Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation aimed at combating food waste. The law prohibits the use of consumer-facing sell-by dates,

All products will now be required to use the phrase "Best If Used By" to signal peak quality, and "Use By" to indicate product safety.