Shelf life is defined as the period of time under defined conditions of storage, after manufacture or packing, for which a food product will remain safe and be fit for use. In other words, during this period, it should retain its desired sensory, chemical, physical, functional or microbiological characteristics and, where appropriate, comply with any label declaration of nutritional information when stored according to the recommended conditions.

How SIG can help

SIG Laboratory can help you determine the shelf life of “ready-to-market” products using a conventional method or accelerated shelf-life test (ASLT). ASLT is used to shorten the time required to estimate a shelf life which otherwise can take an unrealistically long time to determine by a conventional method.

The most common  form of accelerated shelf-life determination therefore relies on storing food at an elevated temperature (Arrhenius method) or seen from the value of the critical moisture content of the product at variations in the humidity of environmental conditions under atmospheric pressure (the isothermal absorption curve equation model approach / Labuza method)

Method Analysis

We offer a test method for estimating the shelf life of your products using conventional techniques as well as ASLT techniques.

ASLT techniques

• Arrhenius Method
• Labuza Method

SIG Laboratory is also very open to discussing with you in the process of determining which the best methods to be suitable for use in testing the estimated shelf life of your product.