It should be taken seriously.  Manufacturers are required to date items
with actual expiration.  FDA mandates expiration dates be placed on
chemicals and solutions  that have less than 2 years of shelf-life. Once a
reagent is opened that expiration may be altered due to enviromental and
decomposition factors.  Which is why it is important to establish an SOP
for replacement after a given amount of time of all chemicals and reagents.


Rande Kline, HT (ASCP)
Technical Services
EM Science




Richard Edwards <REE3@leicester.ac.uk> on 09/03/99 09:42:06 AM

To:   HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu
cc:
Subject:  FORMALIN shelf life.






 Some suppliers  put an Expiry  date  on their 37/40%  FORMALDEHYDE
SOLUTIONS..............is  this   window dressing?????or  should  it  be
taken
seriously???
                                  Cheers
                                           Richard
Edwards.........................