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			== Shelf_life ==
			<gallery>
			File:Expiration.jpg\|Expiration
			File:Heat_Sealing_Film_for_Permeability_Test.jpg\|Heat Sealing Film for Permeability Test
			</gallery>

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'''Shelf life''' is the length of time that [[commodity|commodities]] are given before they are considered unsuitable for sale, use, or consumption. These commodities can be [[food]], [[beverage|beverages]], [[pharmaceutical]] drugs, [[chemical]]s, and many other perishable goods. In some cases, a product's shelf life may be extended by [[preservation]] methods such as [[canning]], [[freezing]], [[vacuum packing]], and [[pasteurization]].

== Determining Shelf Life ==

Shelf life is typically determined by [[Quality Assurance|quality assurance]] tests, or [[real-time]] and [[accelerated aging]] tests. Real-time tests involve the product being stored in normal conditions and checked at regular intervals, while accelerated aging tests expose the product to elevated conditions in order to speed up the rate of [[degradation]].

== Factors Affecting Shelf Life ==

Several factors can affect a product's shelf life, including [[exposure to light]], [[temperature]], [[humidity]], and [[oxygen]]. For example, [[food spoilage|spoilage]] of food products can be caused by [[bacteria]], [[mold]], [[yeast]], or [[chemical reaction]]s triggered by exposure to air.

== Shelf Life of Pharmaceuticals ==

The shelf life of [[pharmaceutical]] products is particularly important due to the potential for loss of [[drug potency]] and the risk of bacterial contamination. In the [[United States]], the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) requires that all pharmaceuticals be tested for stability and have a specified expiration date.

== Shelf Life Extension Program ==

The [[Shelf Life Extension Program]] (SLEP) is a program run by the [[United States Department of Defense]] (DoD) that extends the shelf life of pharmaceuticals in federal stockpiles. The program has found that many drugs remain effective well beyond their expiration dates, leading to significant cost savings.

== See Also ==
* [[Best before]]
* [[Expiration date]]
* [[Freshness date]]
* [[Packaging and labeling]]
* [[Storage life]]

[[Category:Food safety]]
[[Category:Pharmaceutical industry]]
[[Category:Packaging]]
[[Category:Preservation (library and archival science)]]

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Shelf life - Revision history

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