Shelf Life Testing Market Report 2026

The shelf life testing market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $4.9 billion in 2025 to $5.34 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of packaged food consumption, growth of food safety regulations, increased outsourcing of food testing services, development of laboratory testing infrastructure, rising awareness of food quality standards.

The shelf life testing market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $7.54 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing demand for rapid testing solutions, increasing integration of digital monitoring tools, expansion of testing for functional foods, rising focus on waste reduction through shelf life optimization, growing investments in food safety compliance. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of accelerated shelf life testing methods, growing use of advanced analytical equipment, rising demand for regulatory-compliant food testing, expansion of shelf life testing for packaged foods, enhanced focus on quality assurance.

Rising demand for organic food is expected to propel the growth of the shelf life testing market going forward. Organic food refers to products grown and processed without the use of synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms, in accordance with established organic farming standards. Shelf life testing plays a critical role in maintaining the quality and safety of organic food products by evaluating their longevity, freshness, and compliance with organic requirements over time. For instance, in April 2025, according to statistics released by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), a US-based trade association representing the organic industry, fueled by increasing consumer demand, US certified organic product sales grew by 5.2% in 2024 - more than twice the overall market growth rate of 2.5% - reaching a record value of $71.6 billion for the year. Therefore, the rising demand for organic food is driving the shelf life testing market.

Major companies operating in the water quality testing market are emphasizing the development of advanced solutions, such as water testing kits, to enhance analytical accuracy, extend reagent shelf life, and improve measurement versatility under a wide range of field conditions. A water testing kit is a portable analytical tool that allows users to evaluate chemical components in water using predefined reagents, sampling accessories, and instrument-compatible testing formats. For instance, in January 2023, CHEMetrics LLC, a US-based producer of water analysis solutions, introduced the K-1513 Vacu-vials Ammonia Test Kit. This kit offers an extended twelve-month shelf life at room temperature, representing a notable enhancement over previous versions, and supports a broader ammonia testing range for both standard and seawater applications. Its design improves usability in field settings by removing the need for refrigeration and enabling compatibility with direct-readout photometers as well as conventional spectrophotometers.

In October 2024, Mérieux NutriSciences, a US-based food safety company, acquired Bureau Veritas for an undisclosed amount. Through the acquisition of Kineco Kaman Composites India Private Ltd., Mérieux NutriSciences aims to strengthen its expertise in advanced materials and composite technologies, particularly for applications in aerospace and defense sectors. Bureau Veritas is a France-based certification company.

Major companies operating in the shelf life testing market are SGS SA, Bureau Veritas, Eurofins Global, Intertek Group PLC, Mérieux NutriSciences Corp., ALS Limited, AsureQuality Limited, RJ Hill Laboratories, Symbio Laboratories, AES Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Medallion Labs, Q Laboratories Inc., Microbac Laboratories Inc., Silliker Inc., Food Safety Net Services, Eurofins Scientific SE, Campden BRI, Merieux NutriSciences, Dairy One Cooperative Inc., Microchem Laboratory.

Europe was the largest region in the shelf life testing market share in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the shelf life testing market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the shelf life testing market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada.

The shelf life testing market includes revenues earned by entities by testing bacterial contamination, food additives, acidity, and pH value in packed food or beverages using static testing methods. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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