NEW CA LAB SERVICE: SHELF-LIFE STUDY
Helping you determine the shelf life of your cannabis or hemp/CBD product.
Understanding product shelf life is an important step in safeguarding your product from potential deterioration and spoilage. Despite considerable efforts to deliver a finished product that meets your state’s testing standards, prolonged time on retail shelves can change or degrade the performance and quality attributes of your product. With a shelf-life study, we can help you isolate areas of concern and evaluate product stability. Any of the SC Labs test services may be monitored during a shelf-life study, and we can help you design a study for your individual product and needs.
Features and Benefits
- Real-time or accelerated studies to evaluate potency, terpenes, microbiology, mycotoxins, metals, solvents, and more
- Target multiple cannabis/hemp product types and finished products
- Screen and evaluate compatibility of formulations or intended packaging
- Equipped with advanced laboratory instruments and proven test processes
- Expert scientists and support representatives available to assist in interpreting results and assessing risks
Speak with an SC Labs account manager to customize a shelf-life study for you. Contact us online or call 866-435-0709.
Shelf-Life Study
With a shelf-life study, we’ll help tailor a study that will let you determine the stability of your products.
Shelf-Life Testing
Let us customize a solution for you.
Importance of shelf-life testing
- Ensures integrity with product label claims (potency/terpenes)
- Confirms contaminants are not imparted from packaging or by storage conditions
- Identifies potential quality degradation or spoilage with real-time or accelerated aging process
Evaluate Shelf Life
Shelf-life studies can be conducted under room temperature conditions to establish shelf life or under accelerated conditions, increased temperature, and relative humidity, to estimate product shelf life. Through the careful study of shelf-life performance, SC Labs can help you make informed decisions about the integrity of your cannabis or hemp/CBD products.
Recommended Studies by Test Type
The type of test and acceptance criteria you select may vary based on several factors. To tailor a shelf-life study for your needs, please contact an SC Labs representative.
| TEST | RECOMMENDED ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA | RATIONALE |
|---|---|---|
| Cannabinoids and/or Terpenoids (Infused) | +/- 10% from week 0 | Ensure the cannabinoid potency of the product |
| Cannabinoids and/or Terpenoids (Concentrate) | +/- 10% from week 0 | Ensure the cannabinoid potency of the product |
| Cannabinoids and/or Terpenoids (Flower/Fresh Leaf) | +/- 10% from week 0 | Ensure the cannabinoid potency of the product |
| Cannabinoids (Pure Terpenes/Essential Oils) | +/- 10% from week 0 | Ensure the cannabinoid potency of the product |
| Terpenoids (Pure Terpenes/Essential Oils) | If terpene content is labelled, testing can ensure integrity | |
| Mycotoxins | CA Regulatory Limits | Mycotoxins can form during storage |
| Residual Solvents | Comprehensive Test Panel – National Hemp | Residual solvents can be imparted from packaging | |
| Residual Solvents | Standard Test Panel – California | CA Regulatory Limits | Residual solvents can be imparted from packaging |
| Heavy Metals | Only recommended for samples stored with metal (vape cartridges) | Metals can be imparted from storage in contact with metals |
| Microbiology (any individual test) | Microbial growth can occur during storage | |
| Microbiology | Comprehensive Test Panel – National Hemp | Microbial growth can occur during storage | |
| Microbiology | Expanded Test Panel | Microbial growth can occur during storage | |
| Microbiology | Standard Test Panel | Microbial growth can occur during storage | |
| Microbiology | 6-Organism Test Panel (Inhalable) | CA Regulatory Limits | Microbial growth can occur during storage |
| Microbiology | 2-Organism Test Panel (Non-Inhalable) | CA Regulatory Limits | Microbial growth can occur during storage |
| Water Activity | CA Regulatory Limits | Water activity can change during storage |
| Moisture Content | +/- 10% from week 0 | Moisture can change during storage |
| SC Labs does not recommend the following for shelf-life studies: Pesticides: Unlikely to form during storage Vitamin E (Concentrate): It is not known that vitamin E can form during storage |
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With the shelf-life study, we can help you isolate areas of concern to determine the stability of your products.
Need assistance selecting the right solution?
Ask your SC Labs account manager for more information about comprehensive shelf-life testing studies. Contact us online or call 866-435-0709
NEW ADD-ON SERVICE: FIELD SAMPLING FOR QA/QC R&D
Confirm cannabis is ready for production with our field sampling solutions.
Verifying that biomass, flower, or distillate is clean before purchasing can be a labor intensive procedure. SC Labs can help with our quality assurance (QA) field sampling solution. Our internal procedures and sampling team are ready to support your production needs and evaluation of clean source material.
To take advantage of the SC Labs Field Sampling Service, contact your sales representative.
