The shelf life of a food product is a key issue for food manufacturers. It defines the period during which a food product can be consumed safely, without risk to consumer health or alteration of its organoleptic qualities. This shelf life is expressed as a " use-by date" ( DLC DDM ), depending on the nature of the product. To guarantee a compliant and optimized shelf life, manufacturers must take into account numerous parameters: microbiological characteristics, storage conditions, manufacturing processes, type of packaging, distribution channels, etc.
This article offers a comprehensive analysis of regulatory requirements, laboratory validation methods, and tools available to professionals to control and extend the shelf life of their food products.
Table of Contents
What is the shelf life of a food product?
Shelf life, expiration date and best before date: what are the differences?
The shelf life of a food product corresponds to the period during which a food remains safe for consumption, retaining its sanitary (safety) and organoleptic (taste, smell, texture, etc.) qualities. This period is established by the manufacturer, taking into account normal storage and usage conditions.
Two main points govern this duration on food labels:
-
The "use by" date ( DLC highly perishable that may pose a health risk after a certain date. It is indicated by the phrase "Use by…" followed by the specific date. Examples: fresh meat, fish, refrigerated ready meals, yogurt. Beyond this date, the product is unfit for consumption .
-
The DDM ): formerly known as the "use by" date (DLUO), applies to non-perishable that can still be consumed after the indicated date, although they may have lost some of their qualities (texture, taste). The DDM is expressed as "Best before…" . Examples: biscuits, pasta, canned goods, chocolate.
These two statements are mandatory according to INCO Regulation No. 1169/2011 , which harmonizes labelling rules across the European Union.
Factors that influence shelf life
Shelf life depends not only on the product's composition, but on several interdependent factors . Here are the main ones:
-
Physico-chemical characteristics of the product : pH, water activity (aw), salt or sugar content, or the presence of antimicrobial additives can limit or promote microbial growth.
-
Food type : products rich in water or protein (meats, dairy products, prepared meals) are more susceptible to microbiological contamination than dry products (biscuits, cereals, powders).
-
Processing methods : certain technological processes significantly extend shelf life. For example, pasteurization , sterilization , or vacuum packaging reduce or eliminate microorganisms responsible for spoilage or foodborne illnesses.
-
Packaging : Packaging plays a crucial role in preserving the product. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) , for example, slows microbial growth by adjusting the gases present in the packaging (CO₂, O₂, nitrogen). Packaging materials must also limit permeability to air and light.
-
Storage conditions : Temperature is a critical factor. A break in the cold chain can lead to accelerated microbial degradation. The recommended storage temperature (e.g., ≤ 4°C for refrigerated products) must be strictly adhered to throughout the supply chain.
-
Intended use by the consumer : reasonably foreseeable conditions of use (e.g., opening the packaging, heating, handling) must be taken into account by the manufacturer when establishing the shelf life.
In summary, a product's shelf life is the result of a complex balance between formulation, processing, packaging, and storage conditions. It cannot be determined arbitrarily but must be based on rigorous scientific studies and a thorough understanding of the microbiological behavior of food.
How to determine the shelf life of a food product?
Determining the shelf life of a food product is based on a scientific approach governed by regulations. It involves identifying potential microbiological hazards, studying the behavior of microorganisms within the product, and validating its sanitary and organoleptic stability under the intended storage conditions. This procedure is the responsibility of the manufacturer, who must be able to justify the shelf life indicated on the label in the event of an inspection.
A regulatory obligation for manufacturers
According to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 , all food placed on the market must be safe for the consumer and must not be harmful to human health . Regulation (EC) No 1169/2011 requires the display of a best-before date (BBD) on pre-packaged foods, with the exception of a few specific products (e.g., unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables).
The manufacturer is therefore responsible for defining, validating, and verifying the lifespan of its products, using proven methods. These obligations are outlined in several regulatory texts and technical instructions, including:
-
Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria,
-
instruction DGAL/SDSSA/2019-861 , which details the recommendations for establishing a reliable microbiological shelf life.
The manufacturer must also integrate this approach into its food safety management plan (FSMP) , a central tool for hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP).
The steps in determining microbiological shelf life
The process of determining microbiological shelf life is broken down into two main complementary steps : initial validation, then verification over time.
2.2.1 Validation Step
Validation validation relies on laboratory tests conducted under conditions that simulate industrial and domestic practices as closely as possible.
It includes:
-
a complete product description (formulation, pH, water activity, preservative content, packaging),
-
the characterization of the manufacturing process (sterilization, cooking, aseptic packaging…),
-
taking into account the distribution channel and storage conditions .
Sampling plan recommendations are provided based on company size:
-
For small structures : 5 batches analyzed with 1 unit monitored over time per batch.
-
For larger structures : 3 different batches with 5 units analyzed per batch, which allows for better consideration of inter-batch variability .
2.2.2 Verification Step
The verification aims to confirm over time that the initially established shelf lives remain valid. It relies on periodic aging tests , carried out according to a simplified sampling plan , and allows for the anticipation of potential deviations due to changes in the process, packaging, or raw materials.
This step allows you to:
-
detect any potential degradation of microbiological safety ,
-
adjust the lifespan if necessary.
-
provide documented evidence in case of inspection.
It is also essential to guarantee the reliability of the lifespan in the case of products grouped into homogeneous categories , on which validation is carried out on a single representative.
Laboratory analysis tools and methods
Several analytical tools are used to demonstrate the microbiological stability of a product over time. These tests must be carried out according to a rigorous methodology and under conditions representative of real-world practices.
2.3.1 The aging test
The aging test involves storing products under controlled conditions (temperature, humidity) throughout their shelf life, then taking samples at regular intervals to analyze the evolution of the microbial flora. It allows for the evaluation of the growth, stability, or decline of microorganisms present naturally or introduced experimentally.
This test is particularly useful for:
-
verify compliance with EC Regulation No. 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria.
-
validate or adjust the use-by date of a sensitive product (e.g., fresh, ready-to-eat product),
-
demonstrate the control of the growth of pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes .
2.3.2 The Growth Test
The growth test involves intentionally inoculating a target microorganism into the product (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes , Salmonella spp. ) at defined levels and then observing its evolution over time. This test is recommended when:
-
The microorganism is difficult to detect routinely (low prevalence).
-
the physico-chemical characteristics of the product are close to the growth threshold.
It helps to answer the question: does the product promote the growth of a pathogen under the intended storage conditions?
2.3.3 Predictive Microbiology
Predictive microbiology relies on the use of mathematical models to predict the behavior of microorganisms based on product parameters (pH, water activity, temperature, storage time). It allows for the simulation of different contamination and storage scenarios, and reduces the need for experimental testing.
This tool is particularly useful:
-
in the product development phase,
-
to complement the practical tests,
-
to strengthen the robustness of the justifications during audits.
The combined use of these methods allows for reliable, scientific and documented validation of microbiological shelf life, in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Are you looking for an analysis?
What is the lifespan of a product? Each case must be evaluated individually.
The shelf life of a food product cannot be standardized or generalized: it depends on a set of factors specific to each product, its environment, and its consumption pattern. Even if certain product categories share common characteristics, their shelf life must always be rigorously determined, based on experimental data and a detailed analysis of their microbiological and physicochemical behavior.
No single duration: durations vary greatly depending on the product.
There is no single or universal framework for assigning a fixed lifespan to a specific product type. For example:
-
Freshly cut meat under refrigerated conditions can have a shelf life of 5 to 8 days.
-
A pasteurized dairy product , such as yogurt, can have a shelf life of 15 to 30 days.
-
A sterilized prepared dish can have a "best before" date of several months at room temperature.
-
A bottle of vegetable oil can have a best before date of up to 18 months.
These differences can be explained by a combination of several parameters:
-
the initial microbial load,
-
the physico-chemical stability of the product,
-
the level of heat treatment or transformation,
-
the presence of preservative additives or risky ingredients,
-
the type of packaging and its permeability,
-
the expected storage conditions.
An acidic or low-water , such as concentrated lemon juice or a dry biscuit, will naturally have a long shelf life. Conversely, a product rich in water and nutrients (such as chilled vegetable puree) provides a favorable environment for microbial growth, requiring a short shelf life and strict monitoring.
The importance of product typology and representative batches
To optimize shelf-life management, the technical instruction DGAL/SDSSA/2019-861 recommends an approach based on homogeneous product categories . This involves grouping products that are similar from a microbiological, technological, and storage conditions perspective.
For example, a company manufacturing several chilled fresh soup recipes (vegetable, chicken, fish) can, under certain conditions, classify them as belonging to the same homogeneous category. Shelf life validation can then be performed on a product representative of this category. This streamlines studies while respecting health requirements.
However, this approach assumes that:
-
the products have a similar composition and physico-chemical profile,
-
the manufacturing processes must be strictly identical,
-
the packaging and storage temperatures should be comparable.
Periodic verification remains mandatory on all products in the category, in order to ensure that the defined lifespan remains valid over time.
In addition, it is crucial to consider batch-to-batch variability during sampling. Even a stable product can exhibit differences in microbiological behavior between different production batches. Therefore, the technical guidance recommends testing several batches and representative units for reliable validation.
A duration to be adapted to the distribution channel
A product's lifespan must also take into account its distribution method and end-user practices. The requirements will differ depending on whether the product is intended for:
-
mass distribution for consumption by the general public
-
institutional catering with specific stock management and reheating procedures.
-
an agri-food company (BtoB) incorporating the ingredient into another product.
In the case of products intended for communities, a use-by date (UBD) may be more relevant than a best-before date, because it sets a strict limit beyond which the product should no longer be used.
For products packaged in multiple portions (e.g., individual pots in a pack), a secondary shelf life (SLD) can be defined after opening the packaging, in order to guarantee maximum safety in use.
Finally, reasonably foreseeable storage conditions at the distributor, carrier, and consumer must always be taken into account when defining shelf life. A sensitive product intended for distribution at ambient temperature, without a cold chain, will require a specific study and possibly a shorter shelf life to compensate for temperature variations.
Thus, a product's lifespan is a dynamic factor that depends not only on the product's characteristics but also on the environment in which it operates. Determining it therefore relies on a rigorous, contextualized, and time-based scientific approach.
YesWeLab, your partner for validating the lifespan of your products
Mastering the shelf life of a food product requires not only scientific expertise, but also advanced analytical tools and a thorough understanding of regulatory requirements. It is within this context that YesWeLab offers tailored support to manufacturers, leveraging a network of over 200 partner laboratories across France and Europe. Through a high-performance digital platform and a compliance- and safety-focused approach, YesWeLab facilitates the implementation of reliable and recognized studies to validate the microbiological and organoleptic shelf lives of food products.
A network of specialized laboratories for lifespan testing
YesWeLab collaborates with COFRAC-accredited laboratories compliant with ISO 17025 to perform the analyses necessary for determining shelf life. These analyses include:
-
aging tests carried out under controlled conditions,
-
growth tests on target microorganisms such as Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella spp. ,
-
Predictive microbiology to anticipate the behavior of germs based on product characteristics (pH, water activity, preservatives),
-
physico-chemical analyses (measurement of pH, water activity, salt content, etc.),
-
organoleptic tests to assess the stability of texture, smell or taste.
YesWeLab makes it possible to centralize all these analytical needs via a single point of contact, offering optimized sample logistics and complete data traceability.
Services tailored to each agri-food sector
YesWeLab experts work with clients from various sectors of the agri-food industry, each with specific shelf-life requirements:
-
Dairy products : validation of short shelf lives on yogurts, fresh cheeses or creams.
-
Meat products and charcuterie : aging tests under vacuum or modified atmosphere,
-
Plant-based products and prepared meals : multi-criteria studies on products sensitive to positive temperatures,
-
Beverages : validation of best before dates on fruit juices, fermented or energy drinks,
-
bakery-pastry shop : tests on soft products with risks of mold.
YesWeLab can also work on products with specific uses such as intermediate ingredients, products for communities or food for vulnerable populations (infants, elderly people).
A digital platform for simplified and rapid management
The YesWeLab platform was designed to optimize the user experience in managing laboratory analyses. Thanks to this secure digital tool, manufacturers can:
-
search and order their analyses online from among more than 10,000 available services,
-
to track the progress of the tests in real time,
-
centralize analysis results in a single client area,
-
to archive data to facilitate audits and quality processes,
-
speak directly with a dedicated expert for any technical or regulatory questions.
This integrated approach makes it possible to significantly reduce processing times , while guaranteeing the quality, reliability and compliance of services.
