Shelf life

Shelf life is the length of time that commodities are given before they are considered unsuitable for sale, use, or consumption. These commodities can be food, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, chemicals, 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 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, spoilage of food products can be caused by bacteria, mold, yeast, or chemical reactions 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

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