Shelf Life Studies: Basics, Principles, And Concepts

Shelf life studies are used to determine how long a product can reasonably be expected to maintain its quality, safety, and character. These studies take into account not only products’ functional qualities such as safety and effectiveness, but also cosmetic qualities such as color and texture that make them appealing to customers.

An acceptable shelf life for a product is one that allows its desired end of shelf life parameters (EOSLs) to be maintained; these include a product’s sensory, chemical, functional, microbiological, and physical properties. Since the EOSLs are different for every product, the test procedure for conducting a shelf life study will be unique for each product.