Shelf life

Shelf life is the period during which a product, stored as directed, is expected to remain within its specifications, including its labeled cannabinoid content.

It is determined by stability testing, in which samples are held under defined temperature, humidity and light conditions and tested at intervals to see how quickly the actives degrade and whether the product changes physically or microbially. The result sets the best-by date printed on the package. Cannabinoids break down over time, and heat, light and oxygen speed the process.

A certificate of analysis shows content on the test date, so the further a product is from that date, the more the shelf-life data matters. A best-by date without stability testing behind it is a guess, and a reader has no way to tell the difference from the label alone; asking the company is the only check. Manufacturers often formulate with a small overage so the label claim still holds at the end of the period.