If you’re an entrepreneur or business owner in the food and beverage industry, you already know that understanding shelf life is critical to your bottom line.
In this article (and the video linked at the end), we’ll break down three key questions to help you eliminate costly mistakes and gain confidence in this crucial element of your business:
- What is shelf life?
- How does shelf life affect your profit?
- What tools can you use to extend shelf life?
1. What Is Shelf Life?
Shelf life is the length of time a product can be safely consumed after manufacturing. It covers two measures:
- Safety – This is the length of time the food or beverage is safe to eat without hurting someone or making them sick.
- Quality – This is the time until there is noticeable degradation in things like color, texture, or viscosity (such as separation of ingredients).
These two things are not mutually exclusive.
A real-world example of these two concepts that everyone can relate to is the last time you pulled milk from the fridge, poured it over cereal, and—yikes!—as you watched clumps hit the bowl, that sour smell filled the air. That product has spoiled. If you drank newly spoiled milk, the first sip might not make you sick (there may not be enough bad bacteria inside). In fact, spoiled milk becomes cheese and can remain safe to eat. But curdled milk won’t taste or look good to you—its quality is clearly altered!
Another example in beverages is juice that’s red and packaged in glass jars (think pomegranate juice or fruit punch). Exposure to light over time can turn that vibrant red into a darker brown. It may also cause suspended sediment to sink to the bottom. This shows a change in quality from when it was originally manufactured, even though it may still be safe to drink.
You can measure and determine shelf life with third-party labs that run tests. Usually, they can run two types:
- Accelerated tests (where time is simulated), or
- Real-time tests (actually letting the product age and testing over time).
Once the testing is complete, you’ll know both the quality shelf life and the safety shelf life (these can be two different timelines!). Usually, the “shelf life date” you disclose to customers is based on the shorter of these two dates.
You also get to choose which label to use on your packaging:
- Best By / Use By – Implies that using the product by this date ensures the best quality. It also means it will continue to be safe to eat or drink after this date.
- Expiration Date – Means the product cannot be guaranteed to be safe after this date. It doesn’t necessarily mean it has gone bad—it means the manufacturer can’t guarantee safety anymore, so it’s best not to use it.
In general, shelf life dates are the responsibility of the manufacturer (or brand) to determine and disclose to customers for optimal enjoyment. Once a product passes its limit, it’s no longer safe (or appealing) to consume—and ends up in the trash.
2. Why Does Shelf Life Really Matter in Food & Beverage?
Shelf life isn’t just a technical detail—it directly impacts the economic value of your business. Here’s how:
- Reason #1: Lost Revenue. If products spoil early, they can’t be sold. Add on disposal costs or retailer returns, and your expenses climb.
- Reason #2: Retailer Requirements. Buyers consider shelf life when deciding which products to stock. Short shelf life = fewer retail opportunities.
- Reason #3: Customer Loyalty. First impressions matter. If a customer’s first experience is a spoiled or low-quality product, you can kiss repeat purchases goodbye.
3. What Factors Influence Shelf Life?
The good news is you have tools to extend shelf life and protect your investment.
Some of the biggest influences include:
Original Recipe
Believe it or not, your original recipe makes a product a more or less fun place for bacteria to live or for degradation to happen. These are the tricky elements:
- pH – Extremely low or high pH levels can inactivate bacteria; most bacteria are inactive below 4.5 or above 10.0. Most common bacteria prefer a neutral pH around 7. To adjust this, increase acidic or basic ingredients. High or low pH increases shelf life.
- Salt – Salt extends food’s shelf life by inhibiting microbial growth through osmosis, drawing water out of microorganisms so they cannot survive or multiply. More salt increases shelf life.
- Moisture composition – More moisture means more opportunities for bacteria to thrive or for products to have chemical or textural changes. Water decreases shelf life.
- Sugar – Sugar binds with moisture and reduces water activity, which increases shelf life.
Knowing this shorthand list means you can manually adjust recipes for optimal shelf life. If you want to know where your current recipe stands, you’ll need a food scientist to conduct tests and provide recommendations.
Changing the original recipe should also be done early, before customers become attached to a specific flavor or texture—people can be incredibly loyal and discerning! (Think Coke vs. Pepsi fans!)
Any changes to your recipe for shelf life also need to be taste-tested, as they can completely alter the identity of your product.
Processing Methods
After your food or beverage is made, you can influence shelf life through how you cook or package products—specifically by reducing microbial load and controlling moisture.
Food scientists use “kill steps” to remove risk during manufacturing and prevent bacteria growth. Different cooking or heating methods can also affect texture and appearance.
Preservatives
This is the most commonly known method for protecting shelf life. There are natural and chemical preservatives that help with quality and safety. Food and beverage scientists can help determine which are best for your formula.
In general, preservatives reduce bacterial formation or prevent degradation of quality. Since most consumers are wary of preservatives, focus on using natural options or educating customers about what you use and why. If it’s genuinely beneficial for them, it’s a chance to build trust in your brand.
Packaging
Packaging plays a major role in shelf life by preventing exposure to light, heat, oxygen, or moisture, all of which can cause faster spoilage.
For example, olive oil spoils when exposed to light—that’s why it’s sold in opaque bottles. Snacks like chips stay fresh and crisp when protected from light, moisture, and oxygen using multi-layered laminated flexible films.
Customer’s Intended Use
We can’t expect customers to know how to best handle our products, but packaging can help educate them with clear instructions.
For example, you can add a note suggesting they store it in the fridge, away from light or heat. This doesn’t have to be a negative warning—use a fun, positive tone. Explain that high-quality products deserve care! Make customers feel part of the process; it builds pride and ownership.
Temperature & Moisture Control in Transit
Almost all products will spoil under poor temperature or moisture conditions. Transit is one of the biggest risk points since you often rely on third-party vendors and can’t fully control handling.
To reduce risk:
- Use refrigerated trucks or warehouses.
- Perform temperature or moisture checks during transit.
- Pay special attention during extreme seasons (very hot or cold months) or in states like Florida or Texas where temperature swings are high.
Time
Of course, even the best products go bad over time. (Did you know frozen foods can rot? It just takes longer!)
Monitoring how long it takes to sell through your warehouse inventory is one of the easiest ways to prevent loss. Keep product moving and selling to avoid shelf life expiration.
Final Takeaway
I want you to have a food or beverage product that customers can enjoy as long as possible—from START to SOLD!
To keep scaling your product business, take time to regularly assess your shelf life. Wherever possible, make improvements and refine your measures.
The longer your product’s shelf life, the more money stays in your pocket, the stronger your retail partnerships become, and the more loyal your customers will be.
Plus, you’ll sleep better knowing your product—and your investment—are safe.
After you apply these rules to your business, let me know what you discovered!
👉 Want to dive deeper? Watch the full breakdown on YouTube here:
