Kõlblikkusaja

Kõlblikkusaja (Estonian: “shelf life”) refers to the period during which a product, particularly food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or other perishable goods, retains its intended quality, safety, and efficacy under specified storage conditions. The concept is essential for ensuring consumer safety, minimizing waste, and maintaining product integrity in supply chains.

The determination of a product’s shelf life involves sensory evaluation, microbiological testing, chemical analyses, and functional assays performed under normal storage temperatures, humidity, and light exposure. Safety margins are often applied, and the shelf life may be shortened for products prone to spoilage or for those containing active pharmaceutical ingredients with limited stability windows.

Regulative bodies such as the European Medicines Agency, United States Food and Drug Administration, and national food safety authorities prescribe guidelines for shelf-life assessment, requiring evidence from real-time and accelerated studies. Manufacturers must label expiry dates and storage recommendations based on these studies, and consumers are advised to observe these guidelines to avoid consumption of degraded products.

Accelerated stability testing accelerates the degradation process through elevated temperature or humidity, allowing estimation of shelf life without prolonged real-time studies. Predictive models, like Arrhenius equations and first-order kinetics, translate accelerated data into normal-condition shelf‑life estimates. Accurate shelf-life determination supports efficient inventory management and ensures compliance with health and quality standards.