Those ground beef tubes with crazy long expiration dates- do you trust the date?

I had a sausage and meat manufacturer as a client from 2011-14, and that’s where and when I learned that “chub” was the industry term for that style of packaging – so, at least, in the business, it’s been the standard term for over a decade.

I know the milk has been ultra pasteurized. It says so on the box. So I’m just fine with those long dates.

I would have assumed the ground meat was raw. So, not aseptic. Do they of pasteurize it in some way before sealing the chub?

I switched to vacuum sealed prepackaged tubes like that more than 20 years ago because it’s always fresher upon opening them anything except a roast I have selected and asked the butcher to grind for me within the last 24 hours. Everything else is disgusting. The stuff in the tubes stays fresher way longer. But the minute I open the tube either use it or freeze it Because it will oxidize in oxidization isn’t just unattractive. It’s disgusting and stinks.