Accelerated and real-time stability studies that support expiration dates, packaging decisions, and product integrity claims across 3 to 36 month timelines.
California regulations require that expiration dates on cannabis products be supported by scientific data. Stability testing provides the documented evidence behind that date — showing that potency, microbial safety, and physical characteristics remain within acceptable limits throughout the product's intended shelf life.
Stability data also informs practical business decisions: which packaging materials best protect potency, how storage conditions affect product quality, and when formulation changes are necessary to extend product viability. Our lab manages both accelerated and real-time protocols with regular reporting at each sample interval.
Stability data shows how environmental factors — heat, light, and humidity — affect potency retention and microbial counts over time. This allows manufacturers to determine appropriate expiration timelines and select packaging materials that preserve product quality before it reaches retail shelves.
Accelerated testing uses elevated temperature and humidity conditions to simulate aging in a compressed timeframe, providing early data to support product release decisions. Real-time testing runs concurrently under normal storage conditions to confirm accelerated predictions over the actual intended shelf life period.
Ideally, stability studies should begin as soon as a formulation is finalized and production-scale batches are available. Starting early allows you to gather meaningful data before commercial launch while also confirming that the product maintains its properties throughout the intended shelf life.
We monitor cannabinoid degradation, total yeast and mold counts, moisture content, physical appearance changes, color stability, and terpene retention across multiple sample intervals. The specific parameters can be customized to the product type and your business objectives.
Yes. California DCC requires that expiration dates on cannabis products be supported by stability data. A properly conducted stability study provides the documented scientific basis for the expiration date stated on your product label.
Contact our Los Angeles laboratory to discuss study design and get your stability program started.