Understanding the Difference Between Lot Numbers and Expiration Dates

Especially in industries like the food sector, pharmaceutical companies, and cosmetics, manufacturing and distribution of products mostly depend on lot number and expiration date. They serve as key indicators that help businesses as well as consumers.

They help in, for example, ensuring the traceability, quality, and safety of the good. Though they are used frequently together, each of these codes has several connotations and meanings. Let’s learn the differences here!

The Difference Between Lot Numbers and Expiration Dates

Though they have varied functions in product management, lot codes/numbers as well as expiration dates help with various areas in product management. Here’s the detail:

• Lot Codes/Numbers

A lot code is a unique identifier assigned to a specific batch of products that are manufactured under similar conditions, using the same raw materials at the same time.

It is essentially a code allowing manufacturers and regulatory authorities to track a good all the way back to its production history, including the exact time and location of manufacture as well as the components or ingredients used.

For businesses aiming at quality control, these numbers are rather useful since they let them properly monitor and manage their products.

As an example, when choosing which particular batches of goods should be taken off the market in case of product recalls to stop any possible harm to consumers, lot codes are rather crucial.

• Expiration Dates

Conversely, an expiration date is a certain date a product is considered to be unfit for use or unsafe in terms of health.

Depending on the recommended storage circumstances, it offers an estimate of the lifetime the product should remain with its intended quality and safety. The product may lose its potency, effectiveness, or even become unsafe for consumption after the expiration date.

Regarding use, perishable goods, including food and drink as well as medications, must have expiration dates. Because, as you know, consuming a product past its expiration date can pose significant health risks.

So, while many codes offer a means of product tracking, an expiration date offers a time frame for their safe use. Both consumers and companies depend on a clear grasp of the differences to guarantee that products are used appropriately over their lifetime.

How to Find Expiration Date by Lot Number

Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to find an expiration date using a lot code since it usually depends on knowing the manufacturer’s marking and coding scheme.

For your knowledge, lot codes can be made of letters, numbers, or both and vary greatly in structure depending on the company.

Usually, though, these identifiers provide information about the manufacturing date of the goods; from this, one can determine the expiration date.

A popular format might, for instance, call for the year, month, and day of manufacture within the number. Understanding the lot number’s structure helps you find when the product was manufactured and, so, project the expiration date.

Certain manufacturers additionally include batch or plant numbers, which can help determine the particular production line or batch from which the good originated.

Managing inventories, running recalls (if needed), and guaranteeing product quality all depend on this knowledge, so it can be quite important.

Additionally noteworthy is the fact that not every lot code clearly shows an expiration date. Sometimes the lot code will allow you to precisely ascertain the expiration date by referring to an external document or contacting the manufacturer. 

How to Read Lot Number Expiration Date

Now that you understand how to find expiration dates by lot codes, what is the correct way to read them? Well, as mentioned before, reading lot codes in general requires a basic understanding of the coding system/scheme used by the manufacturer itself.

Usually, lot codes are found on the packaging of the products. It could be printed as a series of letters and numbers or as a barcode. Usually, there is a label or a stamp that says lot or batch number. In fact, lot codes will be in small type, all capital letters, and say “LOT#.”

Although there is no universal standard for lot codes, many businesses either employ letters or numbers exclusively to encode the manufacturing date and other pertinent information or even a mix of letters and numbers.

To help you understand better, here’s a general example of how to interpret a typical lot code. Let’s take the number LOT#-240810405 as an example:

• The first two digits (24) refer to the year of manufacture (2024).
• The next two digits (08) indicate the month of production (August).
• The following two digits (10) denote the day of the month when the product was manufactured.
• The next digit (4) might refer to the plant number or the specific production line.
• The last three digits (405) could represent the batch number or a sequence number for that day.

Based on this example, you can conclude that August 10, 2024, was the manufacturing date of the good. Then, the predicted shelf life of the product can help you in projecting the expiration date.

For a two-year shelf life product, for example, the expiration date is probably August 10, 2026. However, it can’t always be accurate, so the method is not foolproof.

The type of goods, storage conditions, and particular manufacturer requirements could all influence the actual expiration date. Therefore, always seek for any explicit expiration date stated on the label or ask the manufacturer for exact details.

Where Should You Place the Lot Number on Products?

Another crucial consideration is lot code placement on items, since it guarantees that regulatory authorities and consumers may easily view and access the code.

Usually, these figures are positioned on the package of the product, in a location that is easy to spot but does not interfere with the product’s branding or labeling.

Also, lot codes are often printed on the label next to the barcode or SKU (Stock Keeping Unit). Alternatively, you might put the number on the barcode or the same label as the SKU.

Whether you decide where to put the lot code on your items, it is absolutely necessary to decide the best visible place, since it helps you track manufacturing information including production time and location. 

However, as a general guideline, it’s advisable to adopt a consistent practice of placing lot number labels on the underside of all your products. This will make locating them faster. Also, consider using the best marking and coding solutions from us at Markcom Global.

Read About: How to Apply Simple Batch Code in Your Business?

 

Referensi

https://www.domino-printing.com/en-us/blog/2022/lot-codes-and-expiration-dates-101

https://corningdata.com/check-lot-expiration-date-number/

https://www.deskera.com/blog/what-is-a-lot-number/