As a supplement brand, you likely will want to get your products on store shelves or into the hands of consumers as soon as possible to ensure they aren’t thrown out due to expiration. By the same token, consumers are always looking for the freshest products possible to meet their fitness or dietary needs. However, determining how fresh a product may be easy if you don’t know what to look for. In this article, we will explore the meaning of “MFG” and “EXP” on supplement labels to help ensure you aren’t investing in products that are set to expire.
What are “MFG” and “EXP”?
As industry-standard abbreviations, “MFG” and “EXP” can help both brands and consumers determine when a product was manufactured and the expiration date that has been set for that product. As you might imagine, “MFG” provides the manufacturing date of the product while “EXP” gives a target expiration date based on when the product manufacturing was completed. While manufacturing dates are generally required under CGMP rules and FDA governance for supplement manufacturers, some products may not have an expiration date listed on the package, although they are an important component of the purchasing process for consumers.
As a general recommendation, JW Nutritional encourages all supplement brands to provide both of these important dates on their packaging to provide transparency for consumers. Most supplements are considered shelf-stable for one to two years after the manufacturing date; however, liquids and probiotics may only last for a year or less depending on storage conditions. The only way to provide an accurate expiration date is through extensive testing; although, the manufacturing date is easy to incorporate into your completed packaging through JW Nutritional.
Choosing the proper packaging option for your product can be a daunting task. The packaging specialists at JW Nutritional have the experience and expertise necessary to help choose the packaging option that is best suited for your product regardless of consistency or composition. If you are interested in securing packaging for a new product or transitioning the packaging currently used for an existing product, JW Nutritional would love to explain our packaging options to you!
Why JW Nutritional for Supplement Manufacturing?
JW Nutritional can manufacture a wide variety of supplements to suit the needs of your customers. With the inclusion of our complete packaging solutions including bottles with lid closures, sachets, stick packs and zip-seal bags, clients can receive a complete product that is ready for order fulfillment. If you are interested in the vitamin manufacturing services we offer, please contact us today!
