Shelf-life testing is not a requirement for most food products, but certain retailers may ask for it. So, if you are planning on being in retail stores soon, you should have an idea of your product's shelf life.

You can get an overall feel for the shelf life without sending it to a lab immediately. It is likely to be similar to that of similar foods, so checking dates on other products is a first step.

You can also perform an informal shelf-life test on your own by storing your product at various temperatures and humidity levels and testing it over time. We have a blog post on Doing Your Own Shelf Life Study.

You are likely be the most stringent judge of your product's quality, and since the quality (taste, smell, color, texture) generally deteriorates before the product actually goes "bad" and becomes a health risk, your quality assessment can act as a lower bound on the shelf life of your product.

If you're ready for something more technical, our partner lab does shelf-life studies. Reach out if you would like to explore that option and learn more.