shelf life

American  

noun

1. the term or period during which a stored commodity remains effective, useful, or suitable for consumption.

   Many medicines have a very short shelf life.

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shelf life British  

noun

1. the length of time a packaged food, chemical, etc, will last without deteriorating

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Etymology

Origin of shelf life

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

That led to a fundraising campaign raising money for charity - but with a shorter shelf life, the Orkney banana glut required a swifter solution.

From BBC

One problem is that helium, particularly in the supercooled liquid form used for transport, has an effective shelf life.

From The Wall Street Journal

That led to a fundraising campaign raising money for charity - but with a shorter shelf life, the Orkney banana glut will require a swifter solution.

From BBC

"I suspect the cheapest rates have a shelf life of three or four days at the moment."

From BBC

Petroleum is also used to make detergents that help toothpaste foam and synthetics that improve shelf life.

From The Wall Street Journal