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Food Science & Technology vocabulary · Shelf Life and Storage

Shelf life

Meaning in food science & technology, with examples

nounCore term

In food science & technology, shelf life means: The length of time a food stays safe and keeps its expected quality when it is stored under the stated conditions.

In Turkish: raf ömrü

How it is used

A key number for every product. R&D and quality teams determine, validate and try to extend shelf life, and sales teams always ask about it for export. People say 'a 12-month shelf life' and 'the product is still within its shelf life'. Use a hyphen before a noun: shelf-life study.

Example sentences

  1. Switching to modified atmosphere packaging extended the shelf life of the sliced cheese from 30 to 60 days.

  2. What is the remaining shelf life on the pallets going to Germany?

Common collocations

  • extend shelf life
  • shelf-life study
  • remaining shelf life
  • short shelf life
  • determine the shelf life
  • accelerated shelf-life testingA faster way of estimating shelf life by storing a product under harsher conditions, usually higher temperature or humidity, and using models to predict how long it will last normally.
  • spoilageAny change that makes food unacceptable to eat, such as off-flavors, bad smells, slime, gas or mold, often caused by microorganisms, enzymes or oxidation.
  • storage conditionsThe temperature, humidity, light and other conditions under which a food must be kept to stay safe and reach its stated shelf life.
  • best before dateThe date until which a food keeps its full expected quality, such as taste, texture and color, when stored correctly; after it, the food may still be safe to eat.
  • use-by dateThe date on a perishable food after which it should not be eaten, because it may no longer be safe even if it looks and smells fine.

More terms: Shelf Life and Storage

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