misc Shelf Life ?
- Thread starter AJ Drew
- Start date
SadisticPeppers
Business Member
I'd be curious to find the answer to this as well.
I would not ever consider it due to the liability. Maybe if it was for the sole purpose as a collectable and not as a food item. Not sure how that would be differentiated though.
salsalady
Business Member
old sauces get sold all the time as collectibles. Not sure if I'd want to open and eat some of them past 5 years from date of mfg....but collectables....yea...there's definitely a niche market.
If the plan was for a new sauce maker to make and hold a batch of sauces to be sold as a Collectors edition 10 years from now, that's a big risk. The sauce/maker needs to desireable enough to make people want to buy the bottles 10 years from now. Blair's managed to create a collectors market by bottling extract in cool bottles with wax and skull keychains at the start of the superhot and collectibles market expansion.
If someone wants some extract, I have some, could send it to them for about 1/10th of the cost of a Blair's Reserve. Could even put it into a cool bottle with wax, etc. Market-driven...people will pay a price... It wouldn't be a Blair's collectible, but it would be the same thing Blair's is selling for 10x cost.
Some newer sauce makers have created a niche market for selling their new sauces in cool one-of-a-kind gnarly bottles. They seem to be selling now, not sure how long that market will last or even how good the sauce is.
If the plan was for a new sauce maker to make and hold a batch of sauces to be sold as a Collectors edition 10 years from now, that's a big risk. The sauce/maker needs to desireable enough to make people want to buy the bottles 10 years from now. Blair's managed to create a collectors market by bottling extract in cool bottles with wax and skull keychains at the start of the superhot and collectibles market expansion.
If someone wants some extract, I have some, could send it to them for about 1/10th of the cost of a Blair's Reserve. Could even put it into a cool bottle with wax, etc. Market-driven...people will pay a price... It wouldn't be a Blair's collectible, but it would be the same thing Blair's is selling for 10x cost.
Some newer sauce makers have created a niche market for selling their new sauces in cool one-of-a-kind gnarly bottles. They seem to be selling now, not sure how long that market will last or even how good the sauce is.
salsalady
Business Member
ajdrew said:
There's a difference between Best By and Use By....
Milk and cheese have a Use By or Expiry/Expiration Date, which I tend to follow. Most refrigerated items have a Use By date and there are different ways to come up with that date. Items that are 30 days or less don't have to have any testing done, they are classified as FRESH. Other things that are refrigerated but have a longer shelf life have ususally had some shelf life testing done by labs and have been assigned a time frame for that product. Some refrigerated salsa have a pull date of 5-6 months. That's not very fresh, to me, but they are still considered "fresh" salsa.
Other things have a Best By date. Crackers, sauces, coffee, popcorn....Best By means there may be some degredation in color, flavor, popping performance or texture, but you aren't going to get sick eating 5 year old cookies or crackers (assuming the packaging is still intact, it's been stored in a cool dry place, and there hasn't been any bugs or moisture compromising the product). The popcorn may only have a 92% pop rate instead of 98% pop rate.
Some sauces have a Best By date. Nothing wong with the sauce, except consumers get freaked out that it's out of date, throw out a half used bottle and buy another one. $$ for the sauce maker...
absolutely.hogleg said:
Salsalady, so the isnt a law that says things have to have an expiration date? I know I am going to sound dumb, but I just looked around and lots of things do say 'best by' before what I thought was an expiration date.
Seems like the law is expecting common sense from consumers.
Seems like the law is expecting common sense from consumers.
ajdrew
I have had a process authority done by 3 different FDA approved authorities on said subject. Every one of my process authority letters state--------copied and pasted from my most recent Process Authority Letter
A thermally processed hermetically sealed container following the guidelines written above has an unlimited safety shelf life provided the container remains hermetically sealed. The label shelf life recommended would be based on quality or “best if used by” as determined for each product by the processor.
Let it be said the scientist I usually use has written a ton of documentation for the FDA and also does various speaking engagements for the FDA on such subjects.
I have had a process authority done by 3 different FDA approved authorities on said subject. Every one of my process authority letters state--------copied and pasted from my most recent Process Authority Letter
A thermally processed hermetically sealed container following the guidelines written above has an unlimited safety shelf life provided the container remains hermetically sealed. The label shelf life recommended would be based on quality or “best if used by” as determined for each product by the processor.
Let it be said the scientist I usually use has written a ton of documentation for the FDA and also does various speaking engagements for the FDA on such subjects.
That being said I personally do 18 months on my products. I do use the highest quality of ingredients BUT I feel some flavor is lost the longer a sauce sits around.ajdrew said:
I have been assigned a "recommended use-by" of "3 years".
I am hopeful that no one buys my sauce and waits 3 years to eat it - makes it kinda hard to pay rent when repeat orders come thrice per decade.
I am hopeful that no one buys my sauce and waits 3 years to eat it - makes it kinda hard to pay rent when repeat orders come thrice per decade.
salsalady
Business Member
18 months to 3 years...that's kind of the Best By range I see on a lot of sauces. Great comments from B&M and LDHS. I'd also hope the sauces got used way before the Best By date! Yea, repeat orders every 3 years....
There are so many variables in sauces and in relation to Best By/Expiry dates, degredation in quality, color, taste....I have one sauce that I haven't put into production yet because there is a serious change in color after about 6 months. Dunno how to resolve the issue so that one is still in the recipe box.
There are so many variables in sauces and in relation to Best By/Expiry dates, degredation in quality, color, taste....I have one sauce that I haven't put into production yet because there is a serious change in color after about 6 months. Dunno how to resolve the issue so that one is still in the recipe box.
If it ain't fizzy (bacteria) or fuzzy (mold) it will eventually get eaten.
I will only have 3 year old LD because I sprung on a few cases at a wicked bargain last Xmas.
I will only have 3 year old LD because I sprung on a few cases at a wicked bargain last Xmas.
"You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?" - Happy Gilmore
Two cases a year ain't bad considering LD is only about 1/8 of whatever is in rotation at any given time.
Will be killing a bottle of purple label today, matter of fact!
I go thru about 125 bottles of sauce per year. And, there always a list of 50 or more to try next.
What? I don't have a problem. I can stop any time I want. Just.One.More.Hit.
Two cases a year ain't bad considering LD is only about 1/8 of whatever is in rotation at any given time.
Will be killing a bottle of purple label today, matter of fact!
I go thru about 125 bottles of sauce per year. And, there always a list of 50 or more to try next.
What? I don't have a problem. I can stop any time I want. Just.One.More.Hit.
Burns and McCoy - Thank you, that is exactly what I was wondering. When it is best by and when it is used by. From reading that, I conclude best buy is used when a product has a practically infinite shelf life. Had no clue the FDA would say such a thing.
Idiot P - In home canning for my own use, if the top pops it isnt fit for the pig. Have some reaper relish from two years ago, put it on vegie burgers last night. I am still alive.
Idiot P - In home canning for my own use, if the top pops it isnt fit for the pig. Have some reaper relish from two years ago, put it on vegie burgers last night. I am still alive.