Barrier Film Shelf Life Estimator
Estimate how long a packed product can last from the water vapor and oxygen barrier of your laminated film, bag size and product limits.
Pack and product
Film structure
Choose up to four layers from outer to inner. Presets are typical values, or select Custom and type the WVTR and OTR from your supplier data sheet.
Moisture limits and storage
Critical moisture is the moisture content at which the product becomes unacceptable (caking, loss of crispness, and so on). Use your own product data.
Film WVTR is usually quoted at 38 C / 90 %RH. Other conditions use a rough scaling factor.
Oxygen limit (optional)
Enter the oxygen amount your product can absorb before quality is lost. It must come from your own product testing.
OTR is usually quoted at 23 C. Higher temperature uses a rough scaling factor.
Results
Laminate WVTR
—
g/m2/day
Layers combined in series.
Laminate OTR
—
cc/m2/day
Layers combined in series.
Moisture-limited life
—
Time until critical moisture is reached.
Oxygen-limited life
—
Time until the oxygen limit is reached.
Theoretical shelf life
—
The smaller of the two limits.
Limiting factor
—
Which barrier property ends the shelf life first.
Moisture life versus WVTR
Both axes are logarithmic. The curve shows how the moisture-limited life changes with laminate WVTR for your bag size, product and storage condition.
Formulas and assumptions
Barrier area A = 2 x width x height (two faces, seal area ignored), converted to m2.
Laminate barrier in series: 1/WVTR_total = sum of 1/WVTR_layer. OTR uses the same rule. A layer with value 0 is treated as a perfect barrier and skipped.
Allowable moisture gain (g) = product weight (g) x (critical moisture - initial moisture) / 100.
Moisture-limited life (days) = allowable gain / (WVTR_total x A x condition factor).
The condition factor scales WVTR, usually quoted at 38 C / 90 %RH, to your storage condition. The factors are rough approximations: 1.0, 0.5, 0.35 and 0.25 for the four options.
Oxygen-limited life (days) = oxygen limit (cc per pack) / (OTR_total x A x temperature factor). OTR is usually quoted at 23 C. The factors are 1.0, 1.4 and 2.2.
Theoretical shelf life is the smaller of the moisture-limited and oxygen-limited values. Months = days / 30.4.
Not included: seal leaks, pinholes, flex cracking, headspace oxygen, product respiration, the shape of the moisture sorption curve and humidity change inside the pack.
Presets are typical values for common films and are for reference only. Use your supplier data sheet and confirm with real storage tests.
How to use
Enter pack and product
Fill in bag width, height and net product weight. Use the Metric / Imperial switch if you prefer inches and ounces.
Build the film structure
Pick up to four layers from the presets or type your own WVTR and OTR from your supplier data sheet. Set the moisture limits and storage condition.
Read the estimate
Results update as you type. Compare moisture and oxygen limits, then confirm the real shelf life with actual storage tests.
A worked example
Default values: bag 130 x 200 mm, 100 g product, layers PET 12 um + VMPET 12 um + PE 50 um, initial moisture 3 %, critical moisture 8 %, storage 38 C / 90 %RH, no oxygen limit entered. Typical values, please confirm with your data.
| Step | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bag area | 2 x 130 x 200 / 1,000,000 | 0.052 m2 |
| Laminate WVTR | 1 / (1/40 + 1/1.0 + 1/15) | 0.916 g/m2/day |
| Laminate OTR | 1 / (1/100 + 1/1.0 + 1/3500) | 0.990 cc/m2/day |
| Allowable moisture gain | 100 x (8 - 3) / 100 | 5 g |
| Moisture-limited life | 5 / (0.916 x 0.052 x 1.0) | about 105 days |
| Oxygen-limited life | No oxygen limit entered | Enter oxygen limit to calculate |
| Theoretical result | Smaller of the two, limited by moisture | about 105 days (3.5 months) |
This is a theoretical estimate only. Real shelf life must be confirmed by actual storage tests.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool tell me the real shelf life of my product?
No. It is a theoretical estimate based on film barrier data only. Real shelf life must be confirmed by actual storage tests with your product and your pack.
Where do I get WVTR and OTR values for my film?
Ask your film supplier for the data sheet and the test conditions. The presets here are typical values, please confirm with your data before relying on them.
Why is the estimate different from my storage test results?
Seal leakage, pinholes, headspace oxygen, product respiration, flex cracking and printing or lamination effects are not included. Any of them can change the real result.
How do I choose the oxygen limit?
The allowable oxygen uptake per pack depends on your product and must come from your own product testing. We leave it empty on purpose and do not suggest a number.
Can your team help me select a barrier structure?
Yes. Send us your product, target market, storage condition and pack format, and we will discuss suitable structures and sample testing with you.
Related tools
Have a project in mind?
Tell us about your product and storage needs. We will help you shortlist barrier structures and plan real storage tests.
Results are estimates for planning purposes. Final specifications and prices are confirmed in your quotation.