Real-time and accelerated studies for foods, beverages and supplements
A shelf-life study tells you how long your product holds up in the package you sell it in, so you can put a best-by or expiration date on the label and back it with data. We store your product, pull samples on a schedule, and test them for microbial growth, pH, water activity and changes in appearance, aroma and texture until the product reaches the end of its shelf life or passes the date you want.
Real-time studies $1,295. Accelerated studies $1,850. Both together $2,650.
$1,295
Turnaround: set by the shelf life you want to claim
Samples: 6 full-size units fresh from production, at least 4 oz each, plus 2 extra units for confirmation
$1,850
Turnaround: 8 days of accelerated storage for each month of shelf life you want to claim, about 14 weeks for a 12 month claim
Samples: 6 full-size units fresh from production, at least 4 oz each, plus 2 extra units for confirmation
$2,650
Turnaround: accelerated results first, using the same 8 days per month, then real-time results on the full shelf life
Samples: 12 full-size units fresh from production, at least 4 oz each, plus 2 extra units for confirmation
Every package includes these tests at each pull: appearance, aroma and texture over time; pH; water activity and moisture; yeast; mold; aerobic plate count and total coliforms.
For products with oils, nuts or fats, peroxide value and p-anisidine can be added to track rancidity. They are quoted with your study.
A real-time shelf-life study finds how long a food, beverage or supplement keeps its quality under normal storage, so you can set a best-by date. Samples are held at the conditions the product will actually see, whether that is room temperature, refrigerated or frozen, and pulled at scheduled points. At each pull we test the microbial, chemical and sensory values and compare them with regulatory limits and your retailer’s standards. The product has reached the end of its shelf life when microbial counts go past acceptable levels or its quality drops below the standard set for it.
FDA does not require a date on most foods, but most retailers do, and labeling rules for dates vary from state to state.
Accelerated testing gets you shelf-life data in about a quarter of the time. We raise the storage temperature and humidity so the product deteriorates faster, in the same way and in the same order it would on a shelf, and test the same things a real-time study does. For a 12 month shelf life, each month is covered by 8 days of accelerated storage, so a full year of data takes about 14 weeks.
Accelerated studies are useful for setting storage practices, finding stability problems early, and working out how to keep quality up or extend shelf life before a product launches.
Shelf-stable products with a long shelf life are usually good candidates. That includes room-temperature beverages, chips, pretzels and other packaged snacks, cookies, and dehydrated or powdered foods. Many supplements qualify too, depending on the active ingredients.
Most frozen and refrigerated foods, fresh produce, meats and ready-to-eat meals are not good candidates, because heat doesn’t age them the way time does. For those a real-time study gives the accurate answer. If you’re not sure where your product falls, send us a note through the form below and we’ll tell you.
Running a real-time study next to the accelerated one is the best way to confirm the shelf life the accelerated data predicts. If an accelerated pull shows a result out of range, the real-time samples show when that change actually happens on the shelf. For example, if the accelerated set goes out of range at the pull that stands in for month 3, the real-time set may show the product actually holds until month 4, and that extra month goes on your label.
pH and water activity on their own can’t tell you how long your product lasts or set a best-by or expiration date. They are still useful: they show whether a product is likely to be shelf stable or needs refrigeration, whether conditions favor or hold back microbial growth, and they give you baseline numbers for formulation, packaging and the next steps. A shelf-life study follows the product over time, tracks microbial and sensory changes, and gives you a shelf-life claim you can defend.
If your product is a shelf-stable acidified food or beverage, pH and water activity are also part of a process authority letter.
You get a day-zero report when the study starts, a report at each pull point, and a final summary when testing is done. Our microbiologists give pass or fail results and analysis of the data at each stage, and the final report comes from the laboratory director.
Tell us the product, the package, how it’s stored and the shelf life you want to claim.
Real-time, accelerated, or both, plus any add-ons.
Full-size units fresh from production, overnight, with cold packs or dry ice if the product needs them.
Testing starts the day the samples arrive and gives you the baseline report.
Samples are pulled and tested on schedule, and you get a report each time.
A summary of every result and the shelf life the data supports, from the laboratory director.
We receive samples Monday through Friday. Samples that arrive before noon start testing that day, and anything later starts the next business day. We don’t receive deliveries on weekends, so ship on a Monday or Tuesday. Send them overnight, with cold packs or dry ice when the product needs to stay cold.
A shelf-life study shows how long a product keeps its quality. It doesn’t set your process or show whether pathogens can grow in the product. If your product is shelf stable and sealed, you may also need a process authority letter. If it has an unusual formula or preservative system, a microbial challenge study shows whether pathogens or spoilage organisms can grow in it. For production lines, see process validation.
A real-time study takes as long as the shelf life you want to claim. An accelerated study uses 8 days for each month, so a 12 month claim takes about 14 weeks.
Not for most foods. Retailers usually do, and date labeling rules vary by state.
No. They tell you whether a product is likely to be shelf stable and whether it needs refrigeration, but not how long it lasts. A best-by or expiration date needs a shelf-life study.
Most shelf-stable products with a long shelf life can, including room-temperature beverages, snacks, baked goods, powdered foods and many supplements. Most refrigerated and frozen foods, fresh produce, meats and ready-to-eat meals need a real-time study.
The real-time set confirms what the accelerated set predicts. If an accelerated pull goes out of range, the real-time samples show when that change really happens, which can give you a longer date.
Six full-size units for a real-time or accelerated study, or twelve for both, at least 4 oz each, plus two extra units for confirmation.
Appearance, aroma and texture, pH, water activity and moisture, yeast, mold, aerobic plate count and total coliforms at every pull. Peroxide value and p-anisidine can be added for products with oils or fats.
You get a day-zero report, a report at every pull point, and a final summary from the laboratory director.
Monday or Tuesday, overnight, so samples arrive on a weekday. Samples that arrive before noon start testing that day.
Yes. Supplements can go through real-time or accelerated studies, and many are good candidates for accelerated testing depending on the active ingredients.
Tell us about your product and we’ll send back a quote. You can also email [email protected].
