What is in it
A one-sheet Excel planner that takes a shelf-life study from plan to sign-off.
- Study details: product, recipe version, storage condition and temperature, packaging, intended shelf life, day 0 and samples per point.
- Test points at 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125% of the intended shelf life, with the day and the planned date calculated for you. Change the percentages or add points to suit your product.
- Plan and result columns for microbiology, sensory, pH and water activity (aw) at each point, plus a column for any other test.
- A pass criteria table for the site to complete, with the source of each criterion and the method and laboratory.
- A conclusion and sign-off block, and a prompt for when to review.
Who it is for
Small and medium food manufacturers, bakeries, delis and caterers setting or checking a use-by or best-before date, and quality staff who need a tidy record of how a shelf life was decided.
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Questions about the planner
Does the planner give me the microbiological limits? No, on purpose. Pass criteria must come from your product specification and the regulations that apply to your product. The planner gives you a place to record each criterion and where it came from, and asks you to complete that table before day 0.
Do I need to test pH and water activity? Only where the product’s safety or keeping quality depends on them, for example acidified, fermented, dried or high-sugar products. Otherwise mark them Not relevant.
Why test past the intended shelf life? The 125% point is a planner default, not a legal rule. It shows how much margin the product has. Delete it if it does not suit your study.
Shelf life is one of the controls a HACCP team has to justify. Our HACCP for Supervisors and HACCP Teams course covers validation and verification.
