Guidance for Extension of Shelf Life of Food and Beverage Commodities

1. Purpose

a. OCONUS: Due to short shelf life items, lead time for ordering and shipping, troop rotations, import and export restrictions, and other challenges of managing food OCONUS, requests for a serviceability evaluation by local public health authorities for consideration of extending the shelf life of food and food commodities are common. Extensions at Distribution Centers and local installations of semiperishable and frozen perishable food is the focus of this guidance.

b. CONUS: CONUS requests for serviceability evaluations by local public health authorities for the purpose of extending the shelf life of food and food commodities are rare. Exceptions include emergency operations and humanitarian assistance. When the exception arises, the appropriate Division Vice President and the Office of the Director, Food & Drug Safety/Staff Veterinarian, HQ AAFES must be contacted and informed of the circumstances leading up to the requirement for a serviceability evaluation and shelf life extension request prior to requesting such evaluations.

2. Definitions

a. Food & Food Commodities: Food and food additives for humans and other animals that includes: dietary supplements and dietary ingredients, infant formula, pet foods, beverages (including alcoholic beverages and bottled water), fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, dairy products, shell eggs, raw agricultural commodities for use as food or food components of food, canned foods, bakery goods, snack food and candy, and packaging materials that come in direct contact with the food.

b. Perishable food: Food items that must be chilled or frozen to remain wholesome.

c. Semi-perishable food: Food items that are canned, dried, dehydrated, or otherwise processed to the extent that they do not normally require refrigeration.

d. Serviceability Evaluations: Inspections performed by local public health authorities to determine the wholesomeness, condition, and/or fitness for intended use of food and food commodities.

e. Shelf Life Extensions: Inspection and approval of extension of the expiration date for products reaching “best by”, “sell by”, “freshest by”, expiration, or other similar date conducted by the responsible veterinary or public health authority.

f. Public Health Authority: Members of the Army Veterinary Service, Army Preventive Medicine, or Air Force Public Health responsible for providing public health authority in the area of operations.

3. Types of Products Requiring Extensions

a. Retail Food Items: Food products intended for sale to consumers through AAFES Retail outlets such as Shoppettes, Main Exchanges, AAFES Gas Stations, etc.

b. AAFES Food Service Operations: Food products destined for operations such as quick service restaurants, school feeding programs, and AAFES production facilities (e.g., bakeries, water plants).

c. Non-food Items: Public health/Vets do not inspect or extend non-food and beverage products such as health and beauty aids, tobacco products, or other non-food products.

4. Products Prohibited from Shelf Life Extension

Under NO circumstance will Over-The-Counter (OTC) drugs, baby food, infant formula, or dietary supplements be extended. Local health authorities may also elect to not perform serviceability evaluation for the purposes of shelf life extension for other food and food commodities (e.g., fluid milk products).

5. General Guidelines for Shelf Life Extension

a. Retail Food Items: Maximum extension lengths are dictated by joint regulation to include AR 40–656/NAVSUPINST 4355.10A/MCO 10110.48 and JOINT SERVICE MANUAL (JSM) FOR STORAGE AND MATERIALS HANDLING (TM 38-400; NAVSUP PUB 592; AFMAN 23-210; MCO 4450-14; DLAM 4145.12). Retail items are primarily perishable frozen and semiperishable items. Hermetically sealed semiperishable food items are generally very low risk foods. Excessive extension is more of a quality issue than a safety issue. Semiperishable and frozen perishable items can be extended up to 180 and 140 days, respectively or one-half of its original shelf life. In some cases, if items are past their “best by date” (i.e. expired) then a modified extension is applied. For example, after frozen items reach their expiration date, they can only be extended by 30-day increments. Though, they can have multiple 30-day extensions.

b. AAFES Food Service Operations: Product destined for AAFES food service operations and AAFES production facilities that is wholesome and in good or excellent condition may be extended. The length of an approved individual extension and any subsequent extensions on the same product is based on regulation and will be worked out between the AAFES manager and the Public Health Authority or their designated representative(s). The Public Health and Veterinary Section at AAFES HQ does not set maximum or minimum extension time frames. The local approving authority, along with the AAFES manager, determines the risk by conducting a surveillance inspection and extending product. Guidelines should be the same for retail and food operations products.

c. Reference Documents: JOINT SERVICE MANUAL (JSM) FOR STORAGE AND MATERIALS HANDLING (TM 38-400; NAVSUP PUB 592; AFMAN 23-210; MCO 4450-14; DLAM 4145.12) may be used as a reference to assist in determining length of extension for AAFES products at the end of labeled shelf life. Continued use is based on product wholesomeness, quality (fitness for its intended use), and safety. AAFES products may be extended to reach the shelf life listed in DLAM 4145.12 for similar or like product. Additional extensions are authorized if the product continues to meet quality, wholesomeness, packaging and, storage conditions.

d. Manufacturer Shelf Life Extensions of Frozen Foods: Items shipped overseas may be produced in a chill package and subsequently frozen by the manufacturer or AAFES in order to extend the shelf life. The expiration date on the original label will reflect shelf life of the product in the chill state. However, per DODVSD Policy B-019, the manufacturer can provide guidelines for determining the new shelf life and handling of these products. A secondary label must contain an expiration date to reflect the shelf life in the frozen state. Managers should have applicable manufacturer’s guidelines on file and will provide copies to Public Health Authorities upon request. If managers do not have these available, copies should be requested through the appropriate buyer at HQ, AAFES. Some partner extension letters are posted on the SharePoint.

6. Requesting Shelf Life Extensions

When requests for product serviceability inspection/extension are necessary the AAFES managers will contact the servicing public health authority. Note, local policy can be more restrictive than regulation and there may be additional time limits on product extensions. Expired products should not be deemed unusable simply because they are expired; however, per Tri-Service Food Code, products shall be inspected and APPROVED by the REGULATORY AUTHORITY prior to the product’s expiration date. This is the intended purpose of routine surveillance inspections of perishable products and a requirement of public health installation support plans.

a. Requesting support from PUBLIC HEALTH COMMAND AREA OF OPERATIONS:

• Inform local US Army Veterinary Services Unit in advance for shelf-life extension request and extenuating circumstances (i.e., products from CONUS arriving expired to OCONUS locations).
• Follow shelf-life extension request instructions of local US Army Veterinary Services Office.
• Communicate shelf-life extension request to Veterinary Food Inspectors, Food Safety Officer, Veterinary Services Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, and the Veterinary Services Officer in Charge.
• Collaborate with US Army Veterinary Services during annual Installation Support Plan meetings on shelf-life extension, food quality, and food protection support.

b. Requesting support from AIR FORCE PUBLIC HEALTH AREA OF OPERATIONS:

• Inform local Air Force Public Health in advance for shelf-life extension request and extenuating circumstances (i.e., products from CONUS arriving expired to OCONUS locations).
• Follow shelf-life extension request instructions of local Air Force Public Health Office.
• Collaborate with local Air Force Public Health on shelf-life extension, food quality, and food protection support.

7. Documenting Shelf Life Extensions

AAFES requires a statement from inspectors indicating cause of unwholesomeness and/or description of factors causing products to be in less than good condition (i.e., unfit for its intended use) when product is condemned. Wholesomeness and condition condemnations (fitness for intended use) will only be signed by authorized inspectors in accordance with current regulations and/or policies. Brand partners may have more restrictive guidelines for shelf life extensions. For example, brand products that are extended by the military public health authorities are not always deemed serviceable by the brand operating procedures. Discrepancies in product extensions should be addressed to local leadership and respective restaurant program planner.

8. Product Condemnations

Product determined to be unwholesome or unfit for its intended use will be discarded IAW local procedures. AAFES managers and buyers will determine if disposal of older products that remain wholesome and in good or excellent condition is appropriate to manage inventory.

9. Inventory Management

Issues with inventory management and military public health authorities should be addressed to local managers and to this office (DSN 967-3736 or COM (214) 312-3736). Inventory should not be used as a reason for condemnation or to deny extension. AAFES will manage excess inventory by redistribution, discounting, or disposal as appropriate.

10. Direct Questions To

Exchange HQ Food - Drug Safety Office and Staff Veterinary Office:
SMSgt Carlos Rios (rioscarl@aafes.com); Exchange Pacific Region: CW5 Jeffery Mitchell.
A copy of this and other guidance can be found at Shelf Life Extension Guidance - All Documents (sharepoint.com).