Shelf-life and stability testing

How a study is built

1. Protocol. We agree on storage conditions, pull points (for example 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months) and the tests run at each point.
2. Storage. Retail units are held in controlled chambers. Accelerated studies use elevated temperature and humidity to estimate long-term behavior sooner.
3. Pull-point testing. At each interval we test the attributes in the protocol, typically potency of key actives, microbial counts and physical characteristics.
4. Report. Results from every interval are collected into one report that shows the trend over time.

What is usually tested

• Potency of the label-claim actives (the most common reason a product fails before its date)
• Microbial counts, especially for gummies, liquids and water-activity-sensitive products
• Appearance, odor, color, and for gummies and capsules, hardness or disintegration
• Moisture or water activity

Real-time vs accelerated

Accelerated data can support a provisional date at launch, while a real-time study runs alongside it to confirm the date under normal storage. Many brands run both.

Turnaround and pricing

Turnaround depends on the test, the number of samples and the time of year. Standard and rush options are quoted per project. PENDING: turnaround times + pricing