The shelf life of a food is the length of time that a product is acceptable and meets consumer quality expectations. However, since the quality of most foods decreases over time, there is a need to evaluate how long products will maintain commercial value. Shelf-life testing measures of the quality factors that define the food and the point at which failure occurs.
Shelf-life testing can be difficult, daunting, and expensive. But here are some basics to maintaining shelf life that can make a quality program successful.