Q: How long does the study take?
A: These studies take approximately 120% of the actual shelf life time, plus one week. The extra week is for the final set of incubations for yeast and mold which take five to seven days. So if your shelf life is ten days, it could take 12 days plus a week, for total of 19 days. If your product has a ten week shelf life, the study would take thirteen weeks.
Q: How should we package the products for shipping?
A:The items should each be labeled with the product name in retail style packaging. A sample submission form, and quote should accompany the samples. An insulated shipping box with plenty of gel ice packs, and plenty of packaging material. Ship early in the week, and specify overnight delivery. If your products have fragile containers, also use bubble wrap. For liquids and sauces, please double bag, and if it has a lid, tape it shut.
Q: Will I get a written report?
A: Yes
Q: What is typically measured?
A: The most common microbiological quality measurements with established thresholds for indicating end of shelf life are lactic acid bacteria, aerobic plate count bacteria, yeast, and mold. Depending on the product type and client requests we may also measure water activity, and pH.
