Unlocking the Secrets of Microbial Shelf Life Through Accelerated Testing

Becky Williams-Wagner, PhD
3BarBio Product Development Lead

 

I recently spoke at the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB) conference about 3BarBio’s accelerated testing model. It was a great conversation that sparked questions, feedback, and interest. Here’s a recap of what I shared.

Unlocking the Secrets of Microbial Shelf Life Through Accelerated Testing

It’s no secret – in agriculture, delivering products that perform reliably over time – is crucial. One of the biggest challenges faced by companies producing microbial-based products is ensuring their product remains viable until they reach the field. The science behind shelf-life testing for these products is complex, but recent developments at 3BarBio are shedding new light on the process.

The Problem: Everything Dies (Eventually)

At the heart of shelf-life testing is the problem of microbial decay. Over time, all living organisms naturally die, and that includes the microbes in agricultural products designed to enhance soil health or plant growth. The challenge for product developers is figuring out how to predict when and how that decay will happen, so they can ensure their products maintain effectiveness through manufacturing, storage, shipping, and use in the field.

Current testing methodologies are slow (very slow) and not always practical for companies that want to get their products to market quickly. Traditional, or similar approaches, like those used in the pharmaceutical industry, take months to complete and often require restarting if any aspect of the product or its packaging changes. That’s why a shift towards accelerated testing is so promising.

Borrowing Techniques from Pharma and Food Industries

What makes this approach different is the application of existing testing methods from other industries, like pharmaceuticals and food production, to the world of agricultural microbes. The key to understanding shelf life is recognizing that it’s not just about temperature — humidity plays an equally important role.

Past efforts in microbial stability testing have only focused on temperature, ignoring how moisture can accelerate decay. But in agriculture, where packaging materials may not be completely moisture-proof, factoring in humidity is essential. The ag microbial sector is moving away from liquid formulations to dry to increase shelf life, but relative humidity can still impact the viability.  So, by incorporating both temperature and relative humidity into stability testing, companies can get a clearer picture of how long their products will last under real-world conditions.

Accelerated Shelf-Life Testing

Here’s where things get exciting. Rather than waiting six months or more for stability data, new 3BarBio accelerated testing protocols can deliver results in approximately three weeks. By intentionally stressing products with high temperatures and humidity for short periods, we can quickly model how the products will perform over time under normal conditions.

The result? Faster feedback and the ability to make critical adjustments to product formulations or packaging long before the product reaches customers. For example, 3BarBio applied this technique to Harrell’s Azo Root™ formulation (a turfgrass product) and used those results to improve its shelf life by altering the formula — a huge win for product developers and ultimately customers.