Shelf Life Testing

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What Is “Shelf Life Testing”?
Shelf life testing is a process to see if any consumable product is safe to eat/drink after it has been produced. These dates are stamped on the products to alert consumers and retailers of when the product should not be used. These dates are stamped as “use by” or “best by”. Calculating these dates is done by using our shelf life study formula.
Our process is done in our FDA compliant laboratory using approved methods. Additional testing might be required, based on the type of product/ingredients. These will be discussed during our initial consultation. Additional consultation might be needed before, during and after the shelf life study has been completed. We have qualified food scientists that work with you to ensure a successful shelf life study.

Do I need Shelf Life Testing?
FDA does not require a manufacture to put any shelf life date on the product with the exception of infant formula. With that being said, most retailer require sell or us by dates to protect their customers and to ensure food safety. Shelf life is only done after you have finalized your recipe and final packaging. Our staff will work with you at each step and answer all of your questions along the way.

Protecting your customers and retailers is the most important reason for testing your products for shelf life. One bad product or complaint to a retailer can end your product being sold at that store(s).

Another key reason is how to get the most time out of your product and to clearly state what is in your product. Consumers want fresh, nutritious foods available to them. Freshness and long shelf lives do not go hand in hand. The fresher the product, the shorter the shelf life. With PCAS by your side, we can work with you and our food scientists to see how we can extend your shelf life. PCAS works with you throughout the process to help you meet your goals and needs. We are here to help!

What are the basic steps to a Shelf Life Study?

Our simple 4 step process is:
1. PCAS will work with you to develop a shelf life study that meets your goals.
PCAS will need you to fill out a shelf life questionnaire so we can review your products ingredients and packaging prior to setting up an initial call. During the call we will then go through your product with you, determine your target shelf life date(s) and get all of the information we will need to develop a personalized shelf life study.

2. Next, we will have you send us your products.
We will be needing at a minimum 6 finished products that have been produced on the same or next day in the final packaging. Products will be shipped in a suitable container that keeps the integrity of the product. All products must arrive at our lab, intact and ready to be tested. Once the product arrives to our lab, we will process the samples and send you a confirmation of receipt. That same day, we will perform the first round of testing on one of the samples.

3. During the shelf life study, we will send you updated reports after each “pull date”.
At each of the set pull dates, we will send you an updated report. If you are working with one of our food scientist, they too will be copied with this update. At that point, you or the food scientist will review the data and approve the continuation of the study.

4. Shelf Life final “Pull” and Report.
At the end of the study, we will test your last sample. When all testing has been completed, we will send you the final, completed report. If you chose to have a food scientist review your final data, they will also be copied with the report. The food scientist will then give you final official report outlining your entire study with a one-page synapsis. From start to finish, PCAS will help you through each step.

Need Accelerated Shelf Life Testing?

PCAS offers accelerated shelf life testing? This is typically done in conjunction with a “real-time” SL study. Accelerated shelf life studies accelerates the testing of a product but there is no microbiological data available. This is only done for quality.

What to know about Accelerated testing:

• Retailers sometimes do not accept an accelerated shelf test as a final result
• It most cases it must be run simultaneously with a “real-time” microbiological shelf life study. The cost of the "real-time" study is separate from the accelerated study.
• Accelerated SL studies subjects the product to high stress in an abusive environment to “push” the product to breakdown faster.
• Timing of accelerated testing is typically 1 week of testing equals 1 month of real time.
• More info can be found by going to our accelerated SL testing page or contacting us at: [email protected]

What Is “Shelf Life Testing”?

Shelf life testing is a process to see if any consumable product is safe to eat/drink after it has been produced. These dates are stamped on the products to alert consumers and retailers of when the product should not be used. These dates are stamped as “use by” or “best by”. Calculating these dates is done by our shelf life study formula.
Our process is done in our FDA compliant laboratory using approved methods. Additional testing might be required, based on the type of product/ingredients. These will be discussed during our initial consultation. Additional consultation might be needed before, during and after the shelf life study has been completed.

Do I need Shelf Life Testing?

FDA does not require a manufacture to put any shelf life date on the product with the exception of infant formula. With that being said, most retailer require sell or us by dates to protect their customers and to ensure food safety.

Protecting your customers and retailers is the most important reason for testing your products for shelf life.

Another key reason is how to get the most time out of your product and to clearly state what is in your product. Consumers want fresh, nutritious foods available to them. Freshness and long shelf lives do not go hand in hand. The fresher the product, the shorter the shelf life. With PCAS by your side, we can work with you and our food scientists to see how we can extend your shelf life. PCAS works with you throughout the process to help you meet your goals and needs. We are here to help!

What are the basic steps to a Shelf Life Study?

Our simple 4 step process is:
1. PCAS will work with you to develop a shelf life study that meets your goals.
PCAS will need you to fill out a shelf life questionnaire so we can review your products ingredients and packaging prior to setting up an initial call. During the call we will then go through your product with you, determine your target shelf life date(s) and get all of the information we will need to develop a personalized shelf life study.

2. Next, we will have you send us your products.
We will be needing at a minimum 6 finished products that have been produced same or next day in the final packaging. Products will be shipped in a suitable container that keeps the integrity of the product. All products must arrive at our lab, intact and ready to be tested. Once the product arrives to our lab, we will process the samples and send you a confirmation of receipt. That same day, we will perform the first round of testing on one of the samples.

3. During the shelf life study, we will send you updated reports after each “pull date”.
At each of the set pull dates, we will send you an updated report. If you are working with one of our food scientist, they too will be copied with this update. At that point the food scientist will review the data and approve the continuation of the study.

4. Shelf Life final “Pull” and Report
At the end of the study, we will test your last sample. When all testing has been completed, we will send you the final, completed report. If you chose to have a food scientist review your final data, they will also be copied with the report. The food scientist will then give you final official report outlining your entire study with a one-page synapsis. From start to finish, PCAS will help you through each step.

What is shelf life?
Shelf life is determining the time from when a food product has been manufactured till it becomes unsafe for consumption.

What can influence a shelf life study?
Everything from your ingredients to the packaging. Once the product has been made and packaged, the ingredients are “living” in its space. How they react together, what temperatures they are stored in, what they are packed in all can determine how long your product will remain safe and good to consume.

Does a shelf life cost more the longer it goes?
No, the cost of a standard shelf life study costs the same for 6 days or 6 months. We do offer shelf life extensions. Ask your project manager about these details.

What other concerns should I consider?
Sometimes a shelf life study can conclude and a final report could show that the product is safe to eat, but there are some other factors the you should consider. These factors are called organoleptic. This includes:

• Smell
• Appearance
• Texture
• Color
• Taste

Each of these can change over the shelf life study. During our testing, we take notes at each “pull date”. We encourage our customers to conduct the same shelf life test at their home/office with the same “pull dates” as ours. This way we can work together to see if you feel the product is not passing your own organoleptic tests for the above specifications.

Can you give me some examples of some products and their shelf life?
Some basic shelf life studies we have conducted have the following timeframe. These may be different than what your product can last.

• Beef Jerky: 9 months-1 year
• BBQ Sauces: 4 months-6 months
• Pasteurized Dairy Products: 3 weeks
• Raw Juices: 5 days
• Cakes, Cookies & Other Bakery Goods WITH Preservatives: 30 days
• Fresh Salsa: 1 months-4 months

Can you help me determine how long my shelf life study should be?
The first step is always to shop the competition. Doing some basic homework can save you both time and money. Finding a few similar products with similar packaging/ingredients can help you formulate a good base of time that your product will last. Many things can affect this like, where your product was produced, preservatives, packaging process, etc. Once we receive your completed shelf life questionnaire, we can review your findings and discuss your options. We can also have one of our food scientists review your product and come up with some science based recommendations.

Can I do shelf life testing on my own?
Yes, you can do the organoleptic side of the testing on your own, but the needed microbiological testing must be done in a qualified laboratory. We will work within your budget to create a shelf life plan that works best for you.

What if I want my product to last longer?
In many cases, we can have you work with one of our food scientists to give you recommendations on how to extend your products shelf life. They will recommend different natural and artificial preservatives that can extend your products shelf life or a change in packaging. During this recipe modification, changes to the organoleptic side of your product might take place. These changes in taste, color, etc. must be done prior to the start of any shelf life or nutritional analysis.

Can you do accelerated shelf life testing?
Yes, but we would need to walk you through these steps. Accelerated studies only test for quality. There is NO microbiological data in accelerated shelf life studies. They are typically done in conjunction with a “real-time” shelf life study.