Summary
In food production, shelf-life is the period of time after manufacture during which the food is considered safe for consumption, or still of the quality intended by the manufacturer. When determining the product’s shelf-life the Food Business Operator must demonstrate that the shelf-life of a food product is appropriate, and that the food will remain safe and/or maintain its quality until the end of that life.
There is no standard method to estimate or set the shelf-life of a food product because there are many different factors that can affect the product safety and quality. We developed this document to outline good practice in determining the shelf-life of a food product to support Food Business Operators in Scotland, however the considerations outlined will also apply to businesses beyond Scotland.
While the overarching responsibility for food safety rests with Food Business Operators, this documents contains a comprehensive lists of factors and considerations applicable to shelf-life determination (validation) and verification in order to assist businesses in complying with the legal requirements, that the food safety criteria applicable throughout the shelf-life can be met under reasonably foreseeable conditions of distribution, storage and use.
