Shelf life, retest date and storage conditions
The period during which a raw material keeps its specification values when stored under the recommended conditions. Vitamins, enzymes, peroxides, monomers, reactive chemicals and some oils degrade over time, so the production date and the expiry or retest date should appear on the COA and label. Storage conditions – temperature range, humidity, light, storage under inert gas, closed packaging – are given in section 7 of the SDS. A clause such as “at least 75 % of shelf life remaining on delivery” is a common protection against old stock.
Related terms
Batch and lot number
A unique code identifying a quantity of product made under the same conditions, from the same raw materials and in the same time window. It appears on packages, the COA and the packing list, and lets you trace which goods are affected by a complaint or recall. Lot-level traceability is a legal requirement in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and feed; buyers of plastics and metals may also ask for single-lot shipments for consistent quality.
Safety data sheet (SDS / MSDS)
A document setting out, in 16 standard sections following the GHS, a chemical’s hazards and information on safe handling, storage, transport, personal protective equipment, first aid, firefighting, accidental release and disposal. It is mandatory for hazardous substances under REACH in the EU and similar laws elsewhere, and must be supplied in the recipient’s language. Carriers and customs rely on section 14 for dangerous-goods classification and the UN number.
Certificate of analysis (COA)
A document in which the producer or an independent laboratory reports the test results for a specific lot together with the specification limits. It shows the product name, lot number, production date, test method (e.g. ASTM, ISO), measured value and acceptance range. A TDS gives a product’s typical properties; a COA gives the actual values of the lot delivered. Under a letter of credit the COA must be issued by the party and with the content the credit requires.