Food Shelf life Testing

Shelf-life is more than just an expiry date it represents the period during which a food product maintains its safety, quality, nutritional value, and sensory attributes under specified storage conditions. Accurate shelf-life determination ensures products remain safe for consumption, comply with regulations, and uphold consumer trust.

Eurofins provides scientifically validated shelf-life determination and verification services for all food categories. Our multidisciplinary approach integrates microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory analyses, enhanced by predictive modeling and accelerated stability studies. We help manufacturers optimize formulations, packaging, and storage conditions to ensure consistent quality from production to consumption.

Understanding Shelf-Life and Its Determining Factors

Shelf-life depends on product composition, processing, and environmental factors. It is evaluated under real-time and accelerated conditions to assess deterioration kinetics and identify spoilage risks.

Factor	Description	Impact on Shelf-Life
Microbial Growth	Presence of bacteria, yeasts, or molds	Spoilage, off-flavors, foodborne illness
Chemical Reactions	Oxidation, enzymatic activity, pH changes	Nutrient loss, rancidity, discoloration
Moisture & Water Activity (aᵥ)	Migration or absorption during storage	Texture degradation, microbial growth
Temperature & Light Exposure	Storage and transit conditions	Accelerated spoilage or oxidation
Packaging Integrity	Barrier properties, permeability	Contamination, moisture or oxygen ingress

Eurofins evaluates these variables to accurately predict shelf-life performance under target market conditions.

Types of Shelf-Life Studies Conducted by Eurofins

Study Type	Purpose	Key Parameters Tested
Real-Time Shelf-Life Study	Evaluates stability under normal storage conditions	Microbial load, moisture, color, texture, nutritional retention
Accelerated Shelf-Life Study (ASLT)	Simulates long-term storage using higher temperature/humidity	Oxidative stability, fat rancidity, pH, viscosity, packaging impact
Challenge Testing	Introduces spoilage/pathogenic microorganisms to assess resistance	Growth potential of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, E. coli
Sensory Shelf-Life Testing	Determines consumer acceptability threshold	Flavor, aroma, appearance, texture scoring
Packaging Compatibility Studies	Evaluates migration, interaction, and barrier efficiency	Oxygen/water vapor transmission, NIAS migration, seal integrity

Eurofins Analytical Testing Capabilities

Eurofins employs a robust suite of analytical and predictive tools for shelf-life validation:

Microbiological Analysis

Total Plate Count (TPC), yeast & mold enumeration.
Pathogen challenge tests (Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Bacillus spp.).
Spoilage organism identification by MALDI-TOF.

Chemical and Physical Analysis

Peroxide Value (PV), Acid Value (AV), and TBA tests for lipid oxidation.
Nutrient stability: vitamin degradation, protein denaturation.
Water activity (aᵥ), moisture content, pH, and texture profiling.
Packaging permeability and oxygen transfer rate.

Sensory Evaluation

Trained panel evaluation for aroma, taste, appearance, and texture.
Statistical modeling to correlate consumer acceptability with analytical data.

Predictive Microbiology and Modeling

Predictive modeling software (ComBase, DMFit) for microbial growth prediction.
Kinetic degradation modeling for nutrient or quality loss.

Regulatory Framework and Compliance Standards

Authority	Regulation	Requirement
FSSAI	Food Safety and Standards (Imports) Regulation, 2017	No food article shall be cleared from customs unless it has a valid shelf life of at least 60% or a minimum of three months at the time of import.
FDA	21 CFR Part 101 (Labeling)	Food labeling must include expiration dates or "best before" dates to inform consumers about safety and quality.
EU	Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011	Distinguishes between "use by" dates for highly perishable foods and "best before" dates for other products, requiring clear labeling.

Raw Milk

Aspect	Details
Shelf Life	No specific standard shelf life mentioned for raw milk.
Storage Guidelines	Raw milk should be cooled to 5°C or lower immediately after collection. - Milk delivered to dairy plants must arrive within 4 hours and be cooled to 5°C or lower. - Bulk chilling centers must maintain raw milk at 5°C or lower.
References	- FSSAI Guidance Note on Milk Products - FSSAI RCD Milk Processing Unit - FSSAI Guidance Document on Milk

Cereal Products (Flour, Rice, Pulses)

Aspect	Details
Shelf Life	Set at 3 months.
Labeling	- Products with a shelf life of more than 3 months must use the "DD/MM/YY" format for the "Best Before" date. - The date, month, and year of manufacture and packaging must be specified for products with a "Best Before Date" of more than three months."Best Before" must be mentioned in capital letters, e.g., "BEST BEFORE MONTHS AND YEAR".
References	- FSSAI Compendium on Packaging and Labelling Regulations

Meat and Meat Products

Aspect	Details
Shelf Life	- Fresh meat: Consume within 2 to 4 days under chilling conditions (0°C to 7°C). - Frozen meat: Recommended consumption within 12 months (stored at -18°C or lower).
References	- FSSAI Guidance Note on Meat and Poultry

Fruits and Vegetables

Aspect	Details
Shelf Life	Perishables should be stored between 4°C and 6°C.
Labeling	- Packaged products must display "Best Before" or "Use By" dates. - Imported goods must have at least 60% of their shelf life remaining or a minimum of three months at the time of import.
References	- FSSAI Guidance Document on Clean Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Packaged Foods

Aspect	Details
Shelf Life	- Products with a shelf life of up to 3 months must use the DD/MM/YY format. - Products with a shelf life exceeding 3 months can use the month and year format. - Foods with a shelf life of less than 7 days may not need to mention the date of manufacture.
References	- Indian Express: FSSAI Amends Labeling Rules - IndiaFilings: FSSAI License Regulations on Food Packaging

Case Study: Shelf-Life Extension in a Dairy-Based Beverage

A leading dairy manufacturer aimed to extend the shelf-life of a probiotic drink from 15 to 30 days without preservatives.

Eurofins Approach:

Conducted microbial challenge studies and accelerated stability testing under varying storage temperatures.
Analyzed pH, total viable count, and sensory acceptability at defined intervals.
Recommended packaging modifications to reduce oxygen ingress and microbial load.

Result: The product achieved a stable 30-day shelf-life with verified safety and sensory integrity, compliant with FSSAI and EU labeling regulations.

Eurofins Comprehensive Shelf-Life Service Portfolio

Real-time and accelerated shelf-life studies.
Microbial challenge and stability testing.
Packaging compatibility and migration evaluation.
Nutrient stability and sensory assessment.
Predictive modeling for shelf-life extension.
Regulatory validation and compliance documentation.
Training and consultation for R&D and QA teams.

Why Choose Eurofins

Global network of ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratories.
Expertise across food, beverage, nutraceutical, and packaging sectors.
Integrated chemical, microbiological, and sensory testing capabilities.
State-of-the-art modeling and simulation systems.
Rapid turnaround and customized test designs.
Regulatory expertise for FSSAI, EU, FDA, and Codex compliance.

Optimize your product’s quality, safety, and market confidence with Eurofins’ scientific shelf-life testing and validation programs. From raw materials to final packaging, our data-driven insights ensure your products remain fresh, safe, and compliant throughout their intended life cycle.

Enquire now: https://www.eurofins.in/food-testing/enquire-now/