How do you know how long your products are going to last?

How do you know how long your product will last In its package? This is a question that every food brand asks and figures out at some point in their product development.

 

There really are a couple of answers to this question and it depends on what exactly you’re looking for.

 

  1. Do you want to know how long it will last until it goes bad, as in spoils?
  2. Are you wanting to know how long will it last until it makes someone sick?
  3. or are you wanting to know how long it will last until it doesn’t taste as good as you want it to be for your customers?

 

Essentially they are the categories of: spoilage, food safety, and quality. Considering these issues is what the subject of “shelf life” is all about in the world of food science.

 

HOW you determine how long your product will last breaks down into 3 different categories as well:

  1. Model products
  2. Hiring someone to do a shelf life study
  3. Doing a shelf life study yourself

Complete the form or email me if you have questions.

Cheers,

Nathan

My Friendly Food Scientist