Shelf-life - testing and studies

Get the optimal shelf-life performance from your products

Short shelf-life performance can critically impact on the value of your product, both to you and your customers.

Campden BRI is a leading provider of testing and analysis services to the global food industry. We take a holistic approach to shelf-life testing that provides insight into all aspects of the food. We can assess how your product performs over time and identify the changes to ingredients, packaging or to other contributory factors that will help lengthen shelf-life across a variety of product types, to deliver results you can trust.

Using state-of-the-art facilities and the latest methods and technology, you can be sure of a high-quality service that will reduce the risk of product recalls and identify the causes of reduced shelf-life, helping you to improve your products, processes and ultimately your profitability.

When do you need to perform shelf-life studies

• Change in distribution conditions
• New product formulations
• To verify a new production or storage condition
• Change of packaging material

What you can expect from a partnership with us

As your testing partner, we are passionate about solving your challenges. Some of our services are detailed below but this is not an exhaustive list. Talk to us about any shelf-life issues you may have and we can identify appropriate action. Taking a case-by-case approach our experts can carry out the following analysis and testing:

• Organoleptic parameters: appearance, colour, odour, flavour
• Consumer acceptability
• Texture using a texture analyser
• Physical and chemical parameters: pH value, viscosity, density, monitoring of ingredient formulation
• Microbiological parameters: microbial types and levels, compliance with specifications and predictions
• Lipid oxidation
• Nutrient stability
• Active ingredients and claim substantiation

In addition, shelf-life studies include:

• Studies of “temperature abuse” or “cold chain breakage” (e.g. during transportation, storage, at point of sale or at end-consumer before consumption)
• Simulations with predictive models calculating the potential growth rate of microorganisms
• Accelerated shelf-life to predict the real shelf- life, by using special storage conditions (light, temperature, humidity, etc.) to ease the acceleration of chemical reactions that would take longer in normal conditions
• Challenge studies with various spoilage or pathogen organisms such as Listeria monocytogenes or yeasts
• Packaging performance and interaction evaluation

For more information on our shelf-life studies service and how we can help, please contact us.

Key services

COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)

Environmental testing and prevention to help the food industry control SARS-CoV-2.

Microbiological analysis and testing

Covering pathogens, spoilage organisms, and indicator organisms

Microbiological specifications

Pre-set criteria that are used to verify HACCP and good practices.

Contamination incidents

Situation analysis and establish why it occurred.

Microbiological shelf-life

Product safety, retaining sensory, microbiological and chemical characteristics.

Challenge testing

A practical study to determine the behaviour of relevant organisms.

Predictive microbiology

Computer simulation of the growth of microorganisms.

Shelf-life testing

A complete service which can incorporate sensory and chemical analysis.

Microorganism identification

A key part of the management of food safety and quality

Rapid microbiological methods

Advice on most suitable methods for use.

Microbiological methods evaluation

Evaluating microbiological methods, validation and interpretation.

Microbiological risk assessment

Helping to guide clients through the complex evaluation process.

Laboratory design

Expertise in issues relating to microbiology laboratories.

Processing to remove microorganisms

Advice on different heating regimes.

Heat resistance

Determine whether the process you are using will be sufficient to achieve your aims.

Detection and control of foodborne viruses

Foodborne viruses are a safety challenge for a range of foods.

How good is your microbiology laboratory?

Our newly upgraded Proficiency Scheme.

Retailer supplementary audit scheme

Independent laboratory audit required by M&S/Tesco.