Using Apple Juice as ingredient

Hi all, this is my first topic to ask in this forum. 

We are launching a new sauce product (a type of BBQ sauce). One of the ingredients we use is Apple Juice. The product was already sent for shelf-life testing (we asked the lab to test for 6months) and all is well with the results.

However the apple juice storage life is Once opened, keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days do you think this is something I should be worrying about in the future?

any advise is much appreciated. 

Hi Suzannee,

Great question! I would think that when the apple juice is added to make your BBQ sauce, it has different characteristics after being processed. So, the 3 days consumption would not apply. 

^^^ Yep, that.  Especially if you're adding it in during the cooking process that (hopefully) you've validated to create a shelf-stable bottled bbq sauce.  Assuming your company's labels will then state something like "refrigerate after opening, use within xxx days."  That seems to be standard for bbq sauces, as I am a purveyor of such fine commodities with my backyard pellet grill. 

I agree with jfrey123, shelf life is generally reflective of the product's pH/aW, prior processing, storage requirements, and packaging characteristics. The final product of BBQ sauce has a totally different make-up and processing history than the apple juice ingredient, so the shelf life considerations will be different to reflect that.