The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) has opened registration for its pilot programme aimed at helping local businesses affordably test the shelf life of food products.
Testing for each food product is expected to cost between $100 and $150, a significant reduction from the industry-standard pricing of over a thousand dollars. This reduction is achieved by consolidating large orders of product samples into three categories, allowing for batch testing that lowers overall costs.
The pilot phase will see Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s (UTB) Centre for Research on Agri-Food Science and Technology (CraFT) conducting shelf-life tests in three product categories: crackers, snacks and biscuits; chilled and frozen products; and perishable, ready-to-eat items such as sandwiches. The pilot aims to test seven products from each category.
A briefing on the initiative by MPRT, in collaboration with UTB and the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB), was held on 3 September at BEDB’s Design and Technology Building.
The testing will provide businesses with either “best before” or “use by” dates—depending on the product type—that can be used as product labels. While “best before” dates are primarily for processed and frozen products, “use by” dates are assigned to higher-risk products, such as those serving fresh dairy, meat, and vegetables.
Agriculture Chemist Nor Amirah Ehsani Hj Md Manan, from MPRT’s Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, said that shelf-life testing is a critical step for local food products to gain wider market access, both locally and internationally.
Understanding a product’s shelf life allows businesses to plan their production better, provide customers with clear information, and ultimately increase consumer confidence, she said. Brunei also has requirements under the Public Health Act (Food), Chapter 182, Schedule 5, which mandate certain food products to carry shelf-life labels.
UTB’s CraFT Director Dr Syazana Abdullah Lim noted that the shelf-life dates provided can be used indefinitely, as long as the product’s composition and packaging remain unchanged, making it a long-term investment.
“Analysing multiple samples together reduces labour and reagent costs, thus lowering the per-sample cost,” she said during her presentation. “Samples must be delivered within a set timeframe so they can be consolidated into a single batch and analysed simultaneously.”
The shelf-life tests focus on microbial safety, chemical stability and physical properties. By testing these parameters, the initiative can determine the quality and safety of products over time.
Two types of studies are generally conducted: first, accelerated shelf-life testing (ASL), which involves 30-day intervals to estimate a product’s “best before” date over approximately three months; and an optional real-time study, used to validate the ASL results, which can take up to 12 months, with time points every three months.
Companies selected to participate must submit 12 sets of 100g of each product for testing, freshly made and individually packaged in their final containers, to UTB.
While an indicative price range of $100-$150 has been provided, the specific price will be communicated to businesses beforehand, as it will depend on factors such as the total number of products and businesses involved.
Businesses interested in registering for the initiative can do so online through this link.
