Summary

Shelf life and stability testing answer a critical question: How long will your product remain safe, potent, and true to label under real-world conditions?

At ACS Laboratory, cannabis, hemp, mushroom, and kratom brands rely on real-time and accelerated studies to establish expiration dates, evaluate packaging performance, and support product quality from production through final sale.

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What Is Shelf Life & Stability Testing?

Shelf life and stability testing evaluate how a product performs over time and help determine how long it remains within specifications.

Laboratories store products under recommended conditions (room temperature or refrigeration) or controlled-stress conditions and evaluate them at predetermined intervals.

Controlled-stress conditions include:

• Temperature fluctuations
• Elevated heat
• Humidity
• Light exposure
• Oxygen exposure

Analysts then monitor factors that can affect product quality, including:

• Potency
• Terpene content
• Water activity and moisture
• Microbiology
• Mycotoxins
• Physical appearance
• pH levels for liquid formulations
• Packaging performance

The resulting data show how a product changes during storage and whether it continues to meet quality standards throughout its intended shelf life.

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Are Stability Testing and Shelf-Life Testing Different?

The terms stability testing and shelf-life testing describe different aspects of the same process.

• Stability testing measures how a product changes over time under defined storage conditions. 
• Shelf-life results use those data to determine how long the product remains within specifications and to establish expiration dates and storage recommendations.

Together, this information helps manufacturers understand product degradation, establish storage requirements, and support quality claims.

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Real-Time vs. Accelerated Testing

Manufacturers typically use real-time stability testing, accelerated stability testing, or both to determine a product’s shelf life.

Real-Time Testing

Real-time studies store products under recommended conditions for the duration of their intended shelf life.

Common study periods include:

• 3 months
• 6 months
• 12 months

This approach provides the most direct evidence of how a product performs under normal storage conditions.

Accelerated Testing

Accelerated studies expose products to elevated temperature and humidity to simulate aging more quickly.

Common study periods include:

• 10 days to approximate 3 months of aging
• 20 days to approximate 6 months of aging
• 40 days to approximate 12 months of aging

Many manufacturers begin both studies simultaneously. Accelerated testing helps generate preliminary shelf-life projections, while real-time testing confirms product performance over time.

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Why Shelf Life & Stability Testing Matter

Shelf life and stability testing help manufacturers protect product quality, support compliance efforts, and make informed formulation and packaging decisions.

Consumer Safety

Products can change significantly during storage.

Moisture can promote microbial growth. Active ingredients can degrade. Packaging materials can allow oxygen, light, or humidity to affect product quality.

Stability studies help identify these risks before products reach consumers.

Potency Preservation

Active compounds naturally change over time.

THC may oxidize into CBN. Other cannabinoids, mushroom compounds, and kratom alkaloids may also degrade during storage.

These changes can affect label accuracy, consistency, and consumer experience. Stability studies help manufacturers understand these changes and establish realistic shelf-life expectations.

Terpene Protection

Terpenes are volatile compounds that contribute to aroma and flavor.

Heat, oxygen, and light can accelerate terpene loss. Testing helps manufacturers identify packaging and storage conditions that better preserve product quality throughout its lifespan.

Regulatory Support

Many regulated markets require expiration dates and product quality documentation.

Shelf life and stability studies provide the data manufacturers need to support expiration dating, storage recommendations, and internal quality programs.

Smarter Packaging Decisions

Packaging plays a major role in product stability.

Poor packaging can expose products to oxygen, moisture, and ultraviolet light. Stability studies help manufacturers evaluate whether packaging materials adequately protect the formulation throughout its intended shelf life.

Stability testing may support decisions such as:

• Using amber glass to reduce light exposure
• Selecting oxygen-resistant closures
• Choosing moisture-resistant packaging materials
• Evaluating specialized liners for advanced delivery systems

These insights help manufacturers improve product performance and extend shelf life.

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Special Considerations for Advanced Delivery Systems

Some products require additional stability evaluations due to their formulation or delivery method.

• Water-based beverages may face challenges with microbial growth and pH stability. 
• Nanoemulsions can experience ingredient separation. 
• Transdermal patches depend on adhesive performance and controlled-release characteristics. 
• Inhalers must maintain dose consistency and chemical stability under pressure.

These products often require additional monitoring to confirm they remain safe, effective, and within specifications throughout their intended lifespan.

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How ACS Laboratory Conducts Shelf Life & Stability Testing

ACS Laboratory conducts shelf life and stability tests using environmental chambers that simulate both real-world and accelerated storage conditions.

Analysts evaluate products at predetermined intervals and measure changes in potency, moisture levels, microbial growth, physical characteristics, and other quality indicators. The resulting data support expiration dating, storage recommendations, packaging validation, and quality assurance programs across cannabis, hemp, mushroom, and kratom products.

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The Bottom Line

Shelf life and stability testing help manufacturers understand how products change over time and how long they remain within specifications.

Brands that invest in these studies can make more informed expiration claims, improve packaging decisions, strengthen consumer confidence, and support long-term product quality.

Contact ACS Laboratory to learn more about Shelf Life & Stability Testing services.