Skip to content
AfricAgric
ENFR

Level 5 · Part 4

Shelf life: test, do not guess

Find out how long your product really lasts, in its pack and in the buyer's hands.

Shelf life is how long a product stays safe and good to eat. It depends on the product, how it was made, the pack, and where and how it is stored. It cannot be copied from another producer, because their product, pack and conditions are not yours.

Do not guess a date

A date on the pack is a promise. A guess that is too long can make people ill or damage trust. If you are not sure, choose a shorter date and keep testing. Ask the food authority how dates must be shown in your country.

A simple way to learn

  1. Make a batch and pack some of it exactly as you will sell it.
  2. Keep the packs in conditions like those of your buyers: shop shelf, kitchen, warm room.
  3. Keep some packs back as samples, and write the batch code.
  4. Check a pack regularly: look, smell, feel and taste only if you are sure it is safe to do so. Write what you notice and when.
  5. When something changes (colour, smell, softness, signs of mould or pests), note how long it took. Choose a shelf life safely shorter than that time.

Ask for help for higher-risk products

Some foods can become unsafe without any visible change. Moist, low-acid or protein-rich products need expert advice and sometimes laboratory tests. Ask an advisor or the food authority before you sell them.

Exercise 5.4 · My shelf-life test plan

  1. Write which pack and which storage conditions you will test.
  2. Write how often you will check and what you will look for.
  3. Write who you will ask for help if you are not sure the product is safe.

Background reading for this part:

← Back to this level