Packaging
Product Expiry Date Calculator — Dairy & Food Shelf Life
Calculate the expiry date of dairy and food products from manufacturing date and shelf life. Also check if a product is within shelf life on any given date.
📖 How to Use This Calculator
Mode 1 — Find Expiry Date: Enter the manufacturing date (or press "Today") + shelf life in days → get the exact expiry / best-before date.
Mode 2 — Check Validity on a Specific Date: Also fill in the Check Date field (e.g. a delivery or dispatch date) → the calculator tells you if the product will still be valid on that date and how many days remain.
ℹ️ Which convention should I use?
Exclusive (Recommended)
Manufacture date is Day 0. The shelf life clock starts the day after manufacture.
Example: Manufactured 14/07/2026 + 180 days = expires 10/01/2027.
Used by: IS 1479, most FSSAI product standards, Codex Alimentarius, EU food law.
Example: Manufactured 14/07/2026 + 180 days = expires 10/01/2027.
Used by: IS 1479, most FSSAI product standards, Codex Alimentarius, EU food law.
Inclusive
Manufacture date is Day 1. The shelf life clock starts on the day of manufacture itself.
Example: Manufactured 14/07/2026 + 180 days = expires 09/01/2027.
Sometimes used when: the label says "Best Before 180 days from date of manufacture" and the pack date is interpreted as day 1.
Example: Manufactured 14/07/2026 + 180 days = expires 09/01/2027.
Sometimes used when: the label says "Best Before 180 days from date of manufacture" and the pack date is interpreted as day 1.
💡 When in doubt, use Exclusive — it gives a slightly longer (more conservative) shelf life and aligns with standard Indian dairy industry practice.
Standard Shelf Life Reference — Indian Dairy Products
| Product | Typical Shelf Life | Storage Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Pasteurized pouch milk | 2–3 days | 2–6°C |
| Pasteurized PET milk | 5–7 days | 2–6°C |
| UHT milk (aseptic) | 90–180 days | Ambient (unopened) |
| UHT milk (opened) | 3–5 days | 2–6°C |
| Curd / Dahi | 7–15 days | 2–6°C |
| Paneer | 7–10 days (packaged) | 2–6°C |
| Ghee (tin) | 12 months | Ambient, cool & dry |
| Butter (salted) | 90 days | 2–6°C |
| Butter (frozen) | 12 months | −18°C |
| SMP (sealed pouch) | 12–24 months | Ambient, cool & dry |
| WMP (sealed can) | 12–18 months | Ambient, cool & dry |
| Ice cream | 12 months | −18°C |
| Flavoured milk (UHT) | 6 months | Ambient |
| Khoa / Mawa | 3–7 days | 2–6°C |
| Cheese (processed) | 60–90 days | 2–6°C |
FSSAI Labelling Requirements
Under FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), all packaged dairy products must display:
- Best Before date for products stable up to 6 months
- Use By date for perishable products (< 6 months shelf life)
- Both must be expressed as DD/MM/YYYY or MM/YYYY format
Shelf Life Factors for Dairy
- Temperature: Every 10°C rise roughly halves shelf life
- Packaging integrity: Damaged seal drastically reduces shelf life
- Processing: UHT provides much longer shelf life than pasteurization
- Contamination: Post-process contamination is the main shelf life risk
- pH and acidity: Lower pH (yoghurt) extends shelf life vs. neutral milk