Shelf Life Testing Methods

How do we know milk lasts 7 days? Scientists use accelerated aging and microbial testing.

1. Real-Time Testing

The "Gold Standard" of accuracy. Researchers store the actual product under expected conditions and test it at regular intervals until it fails sensory or microbial standards.

Pros: 100% real-world accuracy.
Cons: Extremely slow, delaying product launches.

2. Accelerated Aging (ASLT)

Speeding up the clock. Scientists incubate food at elevated heat and humidity. Using the Q10 rule, they can simulate a year of shelf life in just a few weeks.

3. Challenge Testing

The ultimate stress test. Labs intentionally inoculate food with pathogens (like Listeria or E. coli) to verify if the preservative system effectively kills them or inhibits growth.