WHAT IS SHELF LIFE TESTING?
It is a series of tests to determine or verify the life of a food product within the designated quality parameters during normal production under storage conditions.
USE BY DATE AND BEST BEFORE DATE?
A best before date signifies the end of a period during which the intact package of food is stored under any stated storage conditions, will remain fully marketable, and will retain any specific qualities for which expressed or implied claims have been made.
The best before date is the date till which the food may still be safe to eat but the food quality may have deteriorated.
designated quality parameters during normal production under storage conditions.
HOW CAN I ASSESS THE PRODUCT SHELF LIFE?
Kitchen/pilot scale assessment: where the product is packaged within the manufacturing area and assessed through sensory analysis.
Factory scale trials: With the predicted number of days from step 1 the product should be laboratory tested on batches of product produced under routine manufacturing conditions under the same conditions
Full-scale production, where any changes to the shelf-life are monitored.
“TEST YOUR PRODUCT AND THEN MENTION THE EXPIRY DATE NEVER PREDICT”
