shelf life
19
3.5
- noun
- /ʃɛlf laɪf/
:
vida útil
- Alkaline batteries are noted for their high energy density, extended usage, and long shelf life.
- extend the shelf life
- long shelf life
- short shelf life
And these do have an impressive shelf life.
- And these do have an impressive shelf life.
- It conserves space, yes, but it actually ends up shortening the shelf life from around six months down to around two months.
- But now we're trying to figure out how do we extend shelf life and, and, you know, solve this packaging issue or whatever.
- They were selling a product that had a long shelf life, in fact could possibly be indefinite depending on how good it was.
- And when the industrial food guys go about preserving foods, they remove perishable nutrients and reduce the flavor only to prolong the shelf life.
- So when it comes to foods, you mentioned just nothing that has a long shelf life essentially.
- and sustain it and get it a higher shelf life, what good is that hard work and perspiration?
Examples
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His research is directed at improving the safety and shelf life of raw meat and ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products.
Academic text (2005) -
The respondents indicated that they also provided their customers with information on reheating, shelf life, storage, and cooking procedures.
Academic text (2005) -
We're looking for any food with a good shelf life, really.
-
These things have a shelf life of over three years.
-
OK, remember, we're looking for food with a long shelf life.
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Food additives are commonly used to extend the shelf life of meat products.
Academic text (2005) -
But these oils, which extend the shelf life of foods, will soon disappear from products in the United States.
Academic text (2015) -
Luckily, the Fed stepped in to save the day because yesterday the FDA announced they've extended the shelf life for the expired test kits.
-
Saftner's team compared the quality, shelf life, and consumer acceptance of fresh-cut cantaloupe with green- and orange-fleshed honeydews.
Academic text (2006) -
Many canned goods have a long shelf life, making them useful during emergencies.
How Long
19
3.5
- UK
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is partially compositional: 'life' denotes a duration and 'shelf' locates that duration in a storage context, so a learner can often infer it refers to how long a product remains usable on a shelf. However, the application of 'life' to products (rather than living things) and the precise sense ('suitable for use/consumption' vs. simply 'time on a shelf') is somewhat metaphorical and may not be fully predictable without exposure. Cross-linguistic expressions vary, so understanding is probable but not guaranteed for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Shelf life comes from the simple image of a product sitting on a shelf and slowly losing its life, or 'freshness', over time. So it means how long the product stays 'good to use'.