Produce
Shelf-Life Calculator
Estimate remaining shelf life at delivery for 25 produce types. Enter your commodity, transit time, temperature, and load conditions to get a Q10-adjusted shelf-life estimate with chilling, freezing, and ethylene compatibility checks.
Age at the start of transit. Enter 0 if harvested / packed today.
About this tool
What it calculates
Estimates remaining shelf life at delivery for 25 fresh produce types, applying Q10 temperature-adjusted degradation rates based on transit time, reefer setpoint, and pulp temperature.
Who it's for
Shippers, produce buyers, and reefer carriers managing shelf life risk for fresh fruit and vegetables.
What you'll need
Commodity, transit time in days, reefer setpoint (°C), and pulp temperature at loading (°C).
How to use the result
Use to estimate delivery-day shelf life and identify whether the transit time and temperature setpoint are appropriate for the commodity. Adjust setpoint or transit duration if shelf life is below target.
Key assumptions
Shelf-life estimates use published Q10 values for each commodity. Ethylene sensitivity and compatability warnings are shown where commodities should not be co-loaded. Actual shelf life depends on pre-cooling, handling damage, and respiration rate at loading.
When to confirm with a specialist
For export shipments, food safety compliance, or buyer SLA requirements, confirm transit conditions with OTR Logistics Solutions' produce logistics team.
Need help with this shipment?
OTR Logistics Solutions specialists available 24/7 — no account required.
Related Free Tools
Read fresh-produce transportation guides and the reefer setpoint and product-temperature guide.
Planning references only—not legal advice, food-safety certification, product-disposition or carrier approval, substitutes for shipper SOPs or product-owner instructions, or guarantees of shelf life or product condition. Confirm written instructions with the responsible parties.
Numerical commodity examples are general references, not universal transport temperatures or shipment instructions. Follow the product owner’s, shipper’s and receiver’s current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is remaining shelf life at delivery calculated?
What is chilling injury in produce freight?
How does ethylene affect mixed produce loads?
What reefer temperature setpoint should I use?
How does pre-cooling affect shelf life?
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