Maximising shelf-life
An effective way to increase profit margins, reduce waste and improve efficiency
Maximising the shelf-life of a product in development or extending the shelf-life of an existing product can help you increase profitability by producing better quality food and drink products that maintain their quality for longer. We provide tailored, expert support in all areas of shelf-life evaluation, maximisation and extension, and have specific expertise in microbiology, chemistry, sensory, regulatory and product innovation services.
What are the benefits of Maximising Shelf-life?
Commercial success depends on setting the right shelf-life. Too long and the product may not meet the requirements of food safety legislation or your vision of optimum quality. Too short (much shorter than is necessary to protect food safety and quality) and this can negatively affect costs, waste and profit margins.
Maximising and extending product shelf-life can offer:
- Improved profit margin
- Reduced waste
- Better efficiency
- Less frequent / larger production runs
- Increased MLOR (minimum life on receipt)
- Better quality food (which maintains its quality for longer)
But, when setting the shelf-life of a new product or considering any shelf-life extension for an existing product, safety and quality must be carefully considered throughout product life to ensure that they are not compromised.
We introduced superchilling on one of our cooked prawn products as an experiment after we saw the work done by Campden BRI. We were looking for ways to increase our efficiency, and to offer our customers an increased minimum life on receipt (MLOR). Our results were fantastic. Not only did we increase MLOR, but our water and energy use fell by about twenty percent.
What is involved in setting a Shelf-life
We provide guidance and practical support for every step of the process.
Step 1
Establish product parameters
Step 2
Check legislation and guidance
Step 3
Determine whether the growth of any microorganism may limit the shelf-life
Step 4
Conduct quality shelf-life testing
Step 5
Set the final shelf-life based on results of steps 3 and 4
You too can benefit from our Shelf-life support
Considerable expertise and experience is needed to ensure all necessary considerations are included in the setting or extension of a product’s shelf-life, in order to protect product safety, quality and legal compliance.
Renowned as an independent expert in the food and drink industry, we have more than 200 scientists and technical experts collaborating on a wide range of projects every day. We work extensively helping manufacturers to determine the best date mark type to use, maximise shelf-life so that products are economic to produce and less likely to become waste, and ensure the safety of these products for consumers.
For both the full shelf-life and the ‘open’ shelf-life once the product is opened, we can help back up shelf-lives with required data to ensure food and beverage products have a long life whilst remaining safe to consume.
Get in touch today to unlock the benefits of maximising product shelf-life.
