How long does stability testing take?

A real time study runs as long as the shelf life you are claiming. Accelerated studies typically report in three to six months. Release testing is unaffected and stays at two to four weeks.

Can I claim 24 months from an accelerated study?

Accelerated data supports a provisional claim at launch, and most brands run a real time study in parallel to confirm it. Some retailers accept only real time data.

Do I need stability data for every SKU?

For each formulation and packaging combination, yes. Flavour variants with the same actives and pack can often be bracketed, which we can plan in the quote.

Shelf life and stability testing

Updated 16/09/2026

The best-before date on your label is a claim like any other. A stability study is the evidence that the product still meets its specification on the last day of that period.

Key points

Real time studies follow the actual shelf life; accelerated studies give an early indication.
Vitamin C, folate, B12, probiotics and omega-3 degrade fastest.
The study must run in the final packaging.
Overage in the recipe is a formulation decision, not a substitute for data.

Real time and accelerated

A real time study stores the product under its labelled conditions and tests at intervals, for example 0, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. It is the only study that directly supports a 24 month claim.

An accelerated study uses elevated temperature and humidity to force degradation in a few months. It is useful for launching, for comparing two packaging options and for spotting a formulation that will not hold, but it is an indication rather than a substitute.

What gets measured

A stability study is not a single test. Each pull point repeats the parameters that can move.

Active content for every quantitative label claim
Water activity and moisture for powders, gummies and softgels
Peroxide and anisidine values for oils
Viable counts for probiotics, plus microbiology where growth is possible
Appearance, odour and, for tablets and capsules, disintegration

Packaging is part of the product

Oxygen and moisture ingress depends on the container, so results from a bulk bag do not transfer to a clear PET jar. Run the study in the pack you sell, including the closure and any desiccant. If you change supplier or material, the data needs revisiting.

How we set it up

Tell us the shelf life you want to claim and the format, and we design the pull points and parameters around it, then report each interval in the same portal as your release testing so the full history sits in one place.

Questions

How long does stability testing take?: A real time study runs as long as the shelf life you are claiming. Accelerated studies typically report in three to six months. Release testing is unaffected and stays at two to four weeks.
Can I claim 24 months from an accelerated study?: Accelerated data supports a provisional claim at launch, and most brands run a real time study in parallel to confirm it. Some retailers accept only real time data.
Do I need stability data for every SKU?: For each formulation and packaging combination, yes. Flavour variants with the same actives and pack can often be bracketed, which we can plan in the quote.