Shelf life extension request from customer

I have a customer asking for a shelf life extension on a product (spice) that reached it's best before date one year ago. Even asking if I can extend it without testing and base it on historical data.

This is a new request for me where it's very well past its best before date. Usually we get requests like this just before or after the best before date.

I'm fairly new at this and wanted to get more insight. To me it's a crazy request, or am I missing something?


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I use dry pre-blend seasoning in my plant.  Some of our suppliers give us a document that lists shelf life as 'indefinite'.  Others come in with a 6 month or 1 year date but will issue a note extending the shelf life if requested.  One asked for us to send them a bag back, re-tested, and since it was still in spec, issued a new date.

Suspicious: if they asked you, say, shortly after BB having some leftovers - that would be understandable. However, if it's a year after BB - they might've found those spices somewhere hidden - meaning, their storage and food safety system might be under risk with such neglection to FIFO principal.

Suspicious: if they asked you, say, shortly after BB having some leftovers - that would be understandable. However, if it's a year after BB - they might've found those spices somewhere hidden - meaning, their storage and food safety system might be under risk with such neglection to FIFO principal.

True. We normally would do a shelf life extension of 6 months after the best before date, and if requested again, could extend 3 more months. So that's as far as I would go

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I have a customer asking for a shelf life extension on a product (spice) that reached it's best before date one year ago. Even asking if I can extend it without testing and base it on historical data.

Whether a shelf life extension is reasonable depends a lot on the content of the spice or spice blend. Some spices are much more hygroscopic or prone to organoleptic decline than others.  The fact they're asking for an extension is not crazy, but the fact they're asking you to do it without testing IS.

 

You should at least do a microbiological test to ensure microbiological safety and an organoleptic test to ensure taste, smell and texture are still acceptable. 

 

What spice are you talking about? (I have some spice background)

Whether a shelf life extension is reasonable depends a lot on the content of the spice or spice blend. Some spices are much more hygroscopic or prone to organoleptic decline than others. The fact they're asking for an extension is not crazy, but the fact they're asking you to do it without testing IS.

You should at least do a microbiological test to ensure microbiological safety and an organoleptic test to ensure taste, smell and texture are still acceptable.

What spice are you talking about? (I have some spice background)

Natural oven roasted turkey rub

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Can you share any of the ingredients?

I would worry most about the organoleptic consistency of high levels of hygroscopic ingredients (ginger, nutmeg, onion powder, and garlic powder) and green herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, etc) and any ingredients that had a high micro limit when they came in.