Stability & Shelf Life Testing for Natural Foods

Ensure your products maintain desired quality characteristics & safety attributes over time.

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Stability and shelf life testing ensure that products maintain their quality, safety, and effectiveness over time, thereby protecting brand reputation and consumer trust. Additionally, these tests help optimize product formulation and packaging, reducing waste and improving overall cost efficiency.

The Variables

Study Duration

Choose any length of study. Many products aim for 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, or 24 months. Studies are carried out over the anticipated shelf-life duration and beyond.

Conditions

Controlled environment chamber testing at:

Long-Term (Real-Time) (25°C / 60% RH)
Intermediate (30°C  / 75% RH)
Accelerated (40°C / 75% RH)

Frequency of Testing

Customize testing intervals to fit your needs. At specified times, products are removed from chambers and tested according to your test panel. For example, a 1 year shelf life may include intervals at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.

Build Test Panel

Select from a library of safety and quality tests to create a tailored panel for each unique product. Recommendations can be provided based on product specific needs.

Modes of Failure

Define potential outcomes from the start, and indicate if/when a study should be terminated. Examples of modes of failure include: Results outside of product specifications, changes in quality attributes, and negative sensory characteristics.

The Details

Study Coordination

A dedicated stability coordinator will discuss project goals, help design the study, recommend industry-specific tests, coordinate sample intake, monitor study progress and facilitate reporting.

Billing

Customizable stability projects allow for a flexible billing approach where costs are applied incrementally during the study. Payments stop when the study stops, upon completion or an early failure.

Sample Submissions

Cambium provides personalized guidance to determine the required number of units or packages for efficient testing. Submitting products in near-final packaging accurately simulates shelf conditions.

Reporting Options

Reporting is tailored to your brand, easy-to-read and encompass all pertinent information to the stability study. Deliverables are meticulously organized and centralized for your audit needs.

The Extras

Sensory Analysis

Understand your products appeal with a trained sensory panel. Cambium’s PhD sensory experts design tests to assess perceptible differences in appearance, aroma, taste, and mouthfeel.

Active Ingredient Degradation

Test a new prototype to see if the product shows signs of ingredient degradation. Controlled environment chambers are used to conduct short-term experiments which look for changes in levels of active ingredients.

Ingredient Substitutions

Controlled environment chambers allow comparison of multiple similar formulations to determine compatibility. Substitute more cost-effective ingredients, switch ingredient suppliers, or introduce new flavors.

Packaging Performance

Evaluate how different packaging materials affect the stability of your product. Package compatibility testing can help you select the best options to preserve the product's quality and extend its shelf life.

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