By Lindsay Edwards

Have you ever wondered what the different statements on food labels mean, such as "sell by," "use by," "expires on," and "best if used by"? What about those long codes on the tops of food cans?

Here's the lowdown:

• Sell by: Manufacturers use the "sell by" statement to tell how long a store should have the product on its shelf. Do not buy a product if the sell-by date has passed.

• Use by: Manufacturers use the "use by" date to warn consumers of the last date the product should be consumed.

• Expires on: Egg cartons are basically the only places you'll find this food label. Manufacturers use the "expires on" date to indicate the last date the store may sell eggs as fresh.

• Best if used by: When you consume the product before the "best if used by" date, you're getting the best flavor and quality from the product.

• Codes: Manufacturers use packing numbers as a tracking mechanism. The coding is also useful in the event a product is recalled.