shelf life
noun
: the period of time during which a material may be stored and remain suitable for use
broadly : the period of time during which something lasts or remains popular
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Making your harvesting cuts on either side of the stem that attaches your pumpkin to the main vine helps increase the shelf life of your fruit. 
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2022 Extend the shelf life of your slip dresses and corset tops by investing in a tight turtleneck to wear underneath them. Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 26 Aug. 2022 The reason for the extension, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said, is that in the rush to get rapid test kits available, the agency typically authorized a shelf life of only about four to six months from the day of manufacture. Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022 Once the manufacturer has more data on the shelf life of the testing kits — such as 12 or 18 months — the company can request the FDA to authorize a later expiration date, the agency said. Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022 When refrigerated, the shelf life of baby carrots is typically three to four weeks, said Linda Harris, a professor at the University of California, Davis, who works with food producers and officials on issues related to microbial food safety. Bayliss Wagner, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 This can mean trimming costs around the house by culling streaming subscriptions and extending the shelf life of certain foods, for example. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2022 Added sugars, on the other hand, are ones food manufacturers put into products to improve flavor or extend shelf life. Good Housekeeping, 9 Aug. 2022 Edomae sushi is sourced locally (as ama divers did in Edo Bay) and is often marinated in salt or vinegar, a preservation technique established in the 1600s to extend the shelf life of raw fish. Alyson Sheppard, Robb Report, 29 July 2022 See More
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2022 Extend the shelf life of your slip dresses and corset tops by investing in a tight turtleneck to wear underneath them. Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 26 Aug. 2022 The reason for the extension, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said, is that in the rush to get rapid test kits available, the agency typically authorized a shelf life of only about four to six months from the day of manufacture. Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022 Once the manufacturer has more data on the shelf life of the testing kits — such as 12 or 18 months — the company can request the FDA to authorize a later expiration date, the agency said. Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2022 When refrigerated, the shelf life of baby carrots is typically three to four weeks, said Linda Harris, a professor at the University of California, Davis, who works with food producers and officials on issues related to microbial food safety. Bayliss Wagner, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 This can mean trimming costs around the house by culling streaming subscriptions and extending the shelf life of certain foods, for example. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2022 Added sugars, on the other hand, are ones food manufacturers put into products to improve flavor or extend shelf life. Good Housekeeping, 9 Aug. 2022 Edomae sushi is sourced locally (as ama divers did in Edo Bay) and is often marinated in salt or vinegar, a preservation technique established in the 1600s to extend the shelf life of raw fish. Alyson Sheppard, Robb Report, 29 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1927, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
shelf life
noun
ˈshelf-ˌ 
: the period of time during which a material (as a food or drug) may be stored and remain suitable for use