Shelf life is defined as a function of what two primary factors?
Answer
Consumer expectation and regulatory standards.
A key practical insight into shelf-life application is that the duration is not an inherent, absolute chemical property of the substance alone; rather, it is determined by external, quality-based factors. Shelf life is explicitly described as a function or result derived from the intersection of two essential criteria: consumer expectations—what the end-user will tolerate regarding sensory quality or appearance—and established regulatory standards, which dictate mandatory safety or potency levels that must be maintained throughout the claimed period. If these two definitions of 'acceptable' differ, the resulting shelf life prediction must align with the most stringent of the two standards.

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