SHELF LIFE & TESTING
To determine a products shelf life, you will need to define the product and packaging that is to be put into conditions with a set timeframe.
A product with a good shelf life will retain its sensory, chemical, physical, functional, and microbial characteristics.
The below are the main types of testing that can be carried out on your product(s). The more simultaneous testing you do, the faster your product gets launched, but the higher the risk. By doing this you are taking a gamble that one will fail and you’ll need to start all of your testing over which can be costly.
NOTE: It is normal for your results to drift +/- 10%
Types of Stability Tests:
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Ideal For:
Cosmetic, pharmaceutical and personal care product manufacturers
Products that contain water
The 3rd Party Lab injects the formula with a lot of nasty things and wait to see if anything grows. If there is no growth that means your formula is able to withstand every day bacteria.
NOTE: If your formula fails, you’ll have to submit again for the same cost(s).
Time: Preparation (7-14 days) + Data Collection (28 days) + Reporting (2-7 days)
Price: $500 - $875
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Accelerated studies, or forced degradation, are used to predict the shelf life of a product. This is where they speed up the processes and rate of decomposition/degradation by increasing the temperature and/or humidity of environmental conditions for a brief period of time. These accelerations demonstrate the impact on the product if introduced to extreme conditions for a short period of time. Overall, this gives a general overview of the different properties of degradation including physical, chemical, and microbiological.
Freeze-thaw studies determine whether the formula will remain stable under various conditions. Freezing is a common processing step used to maintain the stability and quality of a substance during the development and production of the product. The finished product is put through a series of rapid changes that could be encountered during shipping and handling of samples. The sample goes through a cycle of freezing conditions, usually around negative 20°C, and placed in higher temperature conditions, typically 25°C – 45°C, then tested. This cycle will occur over a span of a couple of days/weeks. The testing looks for any significant differences of the overall product throughout the entirety of the study.
You will also want to determine the mode of failure and what exactly will go wrong first? Will it be spoilage, color loss, flavor change?
There are many protocol to choose from, but the most basic is 12 weeks at 45 C for a 2 year shelf life.
You can perform in your packaging, airtight glass, or airtight and light-proof glass, or all of them.
Time: 8-24 weeks
Price: $300 - $6,000
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Testing for possible allergic reactions.
Ideal For:
Any product that comes in contact with the skin
Time: 6 weeks
Price: $500 - $2,500
For a quick test you can perform the following:
Apply a small amount of your product on the inner crease of your right elbow. If you are testing a second product, apply it to another spot on your right forearm closer to the wrist. Repeat this on your left arm if you are testing additional products. If you are patch testing a cleanser, rub it in well for 5 min then rinse off. Do this twice daily for seven days.
A red, itchy rash to a specific area would be suspicious for allergy to that specific product. If you have no reaction, go ahead and try on a limited area of your face (or body for any body products).
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Testing for possible allergic reactions.
Ideal For:
Products used in or around the eye, products that could be accidentally rubbed into the eye
Time: 6 weeks
Price: $500 - $2,500
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Analyzes cannabinoids in products containing ANY trace of hemp.
Time: 1-2 weeks
Price:
Basic: $150
Full Panel: $1000 / round
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Determines the amount of residual heavy metals in your formula.
Ideal For:
Hemp food or cosmetic products
Time: 7 days
Price: $300
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Ideal For:
Cannabis & Hemp products
Time: 7-10 days
Price: $75 - $325
Types of Shelf Life Reports:
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pH = 4.0
Viscosity = 60,000 cps -
pH = 3.5-4.5
Viscosity = 55,000 - 65,000cps
Testing Types:
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Mold growth
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Lipid oxidation
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Color, flavor, or texture change
Pros & Cons:
Benefits
Benefits are determining when the patterns of changes occur and gives certainty of shelf life under normal storage conditions.
Drawbacks
These studies can be product specific and cannot be applied to all your products. Each product with any variation will need to be treated as a different study and will be interpreted based on detailed knowledge. Accelerated testing can cause other classes of microbes to grow by holding it at an increased temperature. Extreme conditions during accelerated testing like freeze/thawing can change the products characteristics.