shelf life

American  

noun

1. the term or period during which a stored commodity remains effective, useful, or suitable for consumption.

   Many medicines have a very short shelf life.

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shelf life British  

noun

1. the length of time a packaged food, chemical, etc, will last without deteriorating

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Etymology

Origin of shelf life

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shelf life

They are typically made with refined fats, oils, sugars, starches, salts, and other additives designed to improve flavor, texture, and shelf life, often while lowering nutritional quality.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

"We don't have the ability to stockpile blood super far in advance because blood does have a finite shelf life, it does expire," she said.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Still, 65 days is a blink of an eye compared to the shelf life of many core Smucker products—fruit spreads, canned coffee and dog food—which can last for at least a year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

It’s bold, heavily angled and has a short shelf life?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Some had cases of “survival crackers”—bulgur wheat blocks with an estimated shelf life of three thousand years.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin