Shelf life

Shelf life is the length of time that a commodity may be stored without becoming unfit for use, consumption, or sale. In other words, it might refer to whether a commodity should no longer be on a pantry shelf, or no longer on a supermarket shelf. It applies to cosmetics, foods and beverages, medical devices, medicines, explosives, pharmaceutical drugs, chemicals, tyres, batteries, and many other perishable items.

In some regions, an advisory best before, mandatory use by or freshness date is required on packaged perishable foods.
The concept of expiration date is related but legally distinct in some jurisdictions.

Back to Reducing Waste →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

LUNCHSCRAPS

Waste less, eat well — composting, food-waste and meal-prep guides, plus the kitchen tools to make it happen.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Every entry, image, fact, and figure is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. No content is AI-generated.