Holdtid

Holdtid refers to the length of time that a thing is held under specific conditions before proceeding with the next step in a process. In Swedish, holdtid combines holda (to hold) and tid (time). The concept is used across several disciplines to express a permissible or required duration for holding a material, sample, or product.

In laboratory and analytical contexts, holdtid denotes the maximum interval between sample collection and analysis during which test results remain valid. If the sample is stored or left unprocessed beyond the holdtid, analyte stability may be compromised, yielding unreliable results. Holdtid is influenced by factors such as temperature, preservative presence, and sample matrix, and is specified in method protocols or regulatory guidelines.

In food safety and production, holdtid can refer to the time a cooked or raw product may be held at a certain temperature before quality and safety risks increase. In manufacturing and assembly, holdtid describes the time an intermediate product may remain in a queued state or undergoing a process between steps.

In pharmacology and environmental testing, holdtid concerns the stability of chemicals or biological markers in specimens during transport and storage.

Because holdtid is context-specific, practitioners must consult discipline-specific standards, such as official methods or national guidelines, to determine the appropriate holdtid for a given situation.