Thank Al Capone for the “Best Before” Dates on Your Milk Cartons
Was the notorious gangster a do-gooder?
Have you ever paid attention to the expiry dates on milk cartons? I’m sure you have but have you thought about why we need them in the first place? Or where do these dates come from? The answer to these questions concerns a notorious gangster.
He is none other than Al Capone, the most well-known name in mob history!
When I first read about this, I thought, surely this is an urban legend. There is no way that the most well-known mobster of the prohibition era cared about public health.
So the skeptic in me conducted some research. Turns out that Al Capone was the one who put expiration dates on milk cartons. But the motives were not based on a desire to protect us.
His reasons were personal and financial.
A man who has spent his life bootlegging illicit liquor might seem a little out of place when he sells safe milk.
So why did he become an advocate for food safety?
Before we talk about why Al Capone pushed for expiration dates, let’s take a quick look at his life.
