ASC Food Safety Training

Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study

Categories: Shelf-Life Studies
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About Course

Our shelf-life study course equips food industry professionals with the knowledge and tools to confidently determine, monitor, and validate the freshness of meat, poultry, dairy, and ready-to-eat products. Through a mix of microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory testing, participants will learn how to predict product behaviour, prevent spoilage, and comply with global and local regulatory standards ensuring every product that reaches the consumer is safe, high-quality, and profitable.

This course is designed for maximum flexibility—learn at your own pace, access essential resources like the Learner Guide, and receive your certification instantly upon successful completion.

What Will You Learn?

  • The importance of shelf-life in food safety and quality
  • The Differences between use-by, best-before, and sell-by dates
  • An understanding of regulatory expectations for shelf-life determination
  • How to identify chemical, biological, physical, and sensory causes of food deterioration
  • How to select appropriate shelf-life study methods (real-time, accelerated, challenge testing)
  • How to Design basic shelf-life testing plans for different food products
  • Understanding microbial growth and its impact on product safety and spoilage
  • How to Interpret microbiological test results and growth trends
  • How to Apply physicochemical tests such as pH, water activity, and moisture analysis
  • How to Conduct sensory evaluations to assess product quality
  • Recognise how packaging and storage conditions affect stability

Course Content

MODULE 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF SHELF-LIFE
Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study

  • Lesson 1: Learning Outcomes
    02:00
  • Lesson 2: Definition of Shelf-life
    02:27
  • Lesson 3: Difference Between Use-by, Best Before and Sell-by
    03:48
  • Lesson 4: Regulatory Expectations for Shelf-life
    21:35
  • Lesson 5: Factors that Influence Food Deterioration
    05:47
  • Module 1: Knowledge Test 1

MODULE 2: TYPES OF SHELF-LIFE STUDIES

MODULE 3: MICROBIOLOGICAL SHELF-LIFE ASSESSMENT

MODULE 4: PHYSICOCHEMICAL & SENSORY TESTING IN SHELF-LIFE DETERMINATION

COURSE FINAL ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK

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🎉 ASC Food Safety Training turns 8! Celebrate with a birthday discount — use code ASC8YEARS at checkout 🎈 🎊 Limited-time 8 Years Special — code ASC8YEARS — shop the course catalogue now ✨ 🎉 ASC Food Safety Training turns 8! Celebrate with a birthday discount — use code ASC8YEARS at checkout 🎈 🎊 Limited-time 8 Years Special — code ASC8YEARS — shop the course catalogue now ✨ 🎉 ASC Food Safety Training turns 8! Celebrate with a birthday discount — use code ASC8YEARS at checkout 🎈 🎊 Limited-time 8 Years Special — code ASC8YEARS — shop the course catalogue now ✨ 🎉 ASC Food Safety Training turns 8! Celebrate with a birthday discount — use code ASC8YEARS at checkout 🎈 🎊 Limited-time 8 Years Special — code ASC8YEARS — shop the course catalogue now ✨

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