The objective of shelf life testing is to display how a product changes as it ages by a collection of analytical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory evaluation.
Simply put, it provides information which helps food manufacturers decide a "use by", "best before" and "date of expiration" dates for their food products.
Accelerated Shelf Life Assessment is an indirect method to predict the shelf life of a food product without running a full length real-time storage study. This method involves storing of the product under accelerated storage conditions like high temperature, humidity and light intensity. Because of this, the end of the shelf life of a product is achieved quickly, and the product is ready for sale in a short period of time. This kind of testing is useful for the new products and products that have a long shelf life.
In real-time shelf life assessment, a product is stored in recommended storage conditions and monitored until it fails the specification. Products such as refrigerated and that spoil due to microbial growth require real-time shelf life assessment.
Shelf life is normally indicated on the food product labels by displaying either a "best before" or a "use by" date. Shelf life testing is important to help consumers make safe and informed choices. Shelf life determines the period of time for which a food product remains safe and suitable for consumption, and the tests ensure that the quality of food products remains acceptable for the consumers.
Shelf life of a product begins from the time the food is prepared or manufactured. The product's longevity depends on many factors, including the types of ingredients, manufacturing process, type of packaging and how the food is stored.
Length and frequency of sampling determines on many samples are necessary for the study.
The frequency of testing is up to you. Ideally, it should be proportionate to the shelf life duration that you are testing.
No. Some products cannot handle the elevated conditions based on their innate qualities. For example, refrigerated products or products with large amounts of chocolate cannot sustain accelerated conditions.
Shelf Life Testing can be done from the following areas:
| Antop Hill | Airoli | Andheri | Aarey Road |
| Bandra | Belapur | Bhandup | Bhuleshwar |
| Byculla | CBD | Chinch Bunder | Colaba |
| Council Hall | Cotton Green | Crawford Market | Cumballa Hill |
| CuffeParade | Churchgate | Churni Road | Dadar |
| Mira Road | Andheri West | Dombivli East | Andheri East |
| Goregaon East | Powai | Virar West | Matunga East |
| Chakala | Mazgaon | Bhiwandi | Kalina |
| Ulhasnagar | Mumbai Central | Madh Island | Sion West |
| Byculla East | Byculla West | Juhu | Tara Road |
| Vakola | Vasind | Tardeo | Chuna Bhatti |
| Sewri | Roha | Poonam Nagar | Shastri Nagar |
| Chinchpokli | Walkeshwar | Raigad | Masjid Bunder |
| Kashimira | Deonar | Khadakpada | Breach Candy |
| MHADA Colony | Nahur East | Dharavi | Bhivpuri |
| Grant Road East | Naigaon West | Upper Worli | Kasara |
| Peddar Road | Khar East | Dahanu Road | Samat Nagar |
| Kolad | Khetwadi | Sahar | Santacruz |
| Sanpada | SEEPZ | Sewri | Bhadane |
| Yogi Jawraj Nagar | Narayan Patil Wadi | Saralgoan | Ghera Sudhagad |
| Lonere | Gaibi Nagar | Mumbai East | Vasai-Nallasopara Link Road |
| Senapati Bapat Marg | Kandivali East | Malad West | Kalyan West |
| Chembur | Borivali West | Kandivali West | Goregaon West |
| Mulund West | Badlapur East | Bhandup West | Bandra West |
| Chandivali | Dahisar East | Ambernath | Borivali East |
| Mulund East | Malad East | Ghatkopar West | Virar East |
| Kalyan East | Khar West | Badlapur West | Santacruz East |
| Ghatkopar East | Deonar | Dongri | Fertilizer Colony |
| Ferry Wharf | Amboli | Khandeshwar | Shivaji Park |
| Vijay Nagar | Ambivali | Malabar Hill | Thakurli |
| Lal Baug | Elphinstone Road | Nahur West | Alibag |
| Oshiwara | Matunga West | Veera Desai Road | Wadala West |
| Gokuldam | Girgaon | Haji Ali | Hutatma Chowk |
| I.I.T.Powai | Jecob Circle | Jogeshwari | Juhu Scheme |
| Kalbadevi | Kala Ghoda | Tulsiwadi | Ramnagar |
| Saravali | Jawhar | Vitthalwadi | Atgaon |
| Khodala | Golibar | Linking Road | Mandapeshwar |
| Nehru Road | Mantralaya | Napean Sea Road | Nariman Point |
| Nerul | Opera House | Parel | Peddar Road |
| Rabale | Sion | Tardeo | Trombay |
| Turbhe | Vashi | Versova | Vile Parle |
| Vihar Lake | Vikhroli | Wadala | Warden Road |
| Worli | Murud | Mumbai West | Murbad Karjat Road |
| Mahalakshmi Temple | Flora Fountain | Fort | Girgaum |
| Grant Road | Goregaon | Ghansoli | Ghatkopar |
| Gorai | Dombivli West | Kanjurmarg | Vasai East |
| Parel | Nalasopara East | Bhayandar East | Vasai West |
| Juhu | Neral | Seawoods | Nalasopara West |
| Santacruz West | Karjat | Vile Parle East | Worli |
| Bhayandar West | Vikhroli East | Kurla East | Lokhandwala |
| Mahim | Agripada | Currey Road | Orlem Malad |
| Yogakshema | Chikuwadi | Mahavir Nagar | Vidya vihar |
| IC Colony | Nagpada | Sahar | Kalher |
| Vangani | G T B Nagar | Gulmohar Road | Fort |
| Nehru Nagar | Bangur Nagar | Andheri-Kurla Road | Link Road |
| Beverly Park | Wada | Dindoshi | Azad Nagar |
| J B Nagar | Kemps Corner | Mangaon | Naya Nagar |
| Gandhi Nagar | Jacob Circle | Murbad Road | Khardi |
| Gamdevi | Dahanu | Kharodi | Opera House |
| Sarvodaya Nagar | Evershine Nagar | Kanakia Road | Altamount Road |
| Mahad | Govind Nagar | Carter Road | Pydhonie |
| Churchgate | Uttan | Aarey Road | Haji Ali |
| Chiplun | Pali | Behram Baug | C.P. Tank |
| Talasari | Nagothane | Kamatghar | Triveni Nagar |
| Prabhu Ali | Upper Parel | Sir JJ Road | Mumbra |
| Western Express Highway | Bandra Kurla Complex | Prabhadevi | Bandra East |
| Boisar | Naigaon East | Tilak Nagar | Dadar West |
| Versova | Kurla West | Wadala East | Titwala |
| Vile Parle West | Khopoli | Asangaon | Jogeshwari West |
| Bhandup East | Dahisar West | Shahapur | Kalwa |
| Lower Parel | Mira Bhayandar | LBS Marg | Vikhroli West |
| Jogeshwari East | Dadar East | Sion East | Charkop |
| Palghar | Mahalaxmi | Marol | Saki naka |
| Khar | Kharghar | King’s Circle | Koparkhairane |
| Kurla | Lower Parel | M Gandhi Road | Madam Cama Road |
| Mandavi | Malabar Hill | Mazgaon, Mahim | Malabar Hill |
| Matunga | Marine Lines | Marine Drive | Malad |
| Mulund | Mumbai Airport | Yari Road | Thane |
| Govandi | Vasai Road | Pali Hill | Murbad |
| Kalyan-Shil Road | Mankhurd | Dongri | Grant Road West |
| Malvani | Navghar Road | S V Road | Shivaji Nagar |
| Shahad | Cuffe Parade | Nariman Point | Mandvi |
| Warden Road | Thakurdwar | Trombay | Umerkhadi |
| Khandas Road | Khandale | Manori | Cumballa Hill |
| Chedda Nagar | Kanti Park | Vikramgad | Chinchpada |
| Royal Palms | Agashi | Chira Bazar | Vidya Nagari |
| V P ROAD | Thane East | Harihareshwar | Zadghar |
| Thane West | Mumbai – Pune Express | Navapada, Anushakti Nagar |