Many products have an expiration date. So also test strips to measure blood glucose. And while for some products the expiry date is treated laconically, this is not sensible for test strips. Diabetes strips that have expired can give an unreliable result. Let's take a closer look at the shelf life of test strips.
Expiration date
The date until which the strips can be used is always stated on the packaging. The strips can be used up to this expiration date, provided the packaging has been unopened. This often involves a purchase period of about 12 months. In any case, that is what we always strive for.
Test strip lifespan
There are also strips that, in addition to an expiration date, also have a useful life. An example of this is the Accu Chek Mobile strips. These strips can be used for 90 days after they are first placed in the meter. For example, the shelf life can be 12 months, but they can 'only' be used for 3 months after the first measurement. The meter shows this and counts down. At 0 days, the strips can no longer be used and new test strips must be purchased. Increasingly glucose meters count down automatically. The shelf life is then indicated by the glucose meter. But there are still a number of meters where the shelf life of the strips must be checked manually.
Store test strips
Test strips are sensitive to moisture and light. It is not without reason that manufacturers supply the strips in airtight tubes (tubes). It is important that the strips are kept in this tube even after opening. And when you are going to measure - and therefore take a test strip out of the packaging - do not keep the tube open for too long. Moisture and light can shorten the shelf life of the test strips.
Number of strips per package
Because test strips have an expiration date, it is advisable to opt for small packages. In practice, these are often packages with 50 test strips. Professionals sometimes opt for larger packaging because this reduces the price per strip, but in practice this can also be more expensive because more strips expire and therefore become unusable.
Please note that test strips that have expired may give an unreliable (not accurate) result. It is therefore not wise to continue using it. And know that many meters do accept the expired test strip and therefore show a result. So it remains to be careful.
Do you have questions about the shelf life of a particular brand of test strip? Take contact with us. You will receive an answer to your question the same working day.
Are there also smaller packages than 25 pieces?
Only as part of a starter pack. The strips are often sold in packs of 50. Sometimes packaged as 2 x 25 to avoid having to open a package.
I have a meter of one touch verio. Always measured well. I have been getting the error message for a few days now that I have to try again with a new test strip... The test strips are out of date, could that be why I am getting the error message?
Yes, this could indeed be the cause. The meter has now been discontinued. Strips are still available, but the intention is for users to switch to another meter.
Best. We use the meter from onetouch for our cat who has diabetes. The strips are quite expensive because we have to measure pd twice. Do you also have cheaper strips or meters?
Kind regards, Benny Vandenberghe
Hello Benny, we do not have any veterinary diabetes products (yet). Or are you using the regular one now? Onetouch meter and test strips?
What to do with old test strips?
Hello Marcella, comics that have expired can be thrown away. Many meters refuse these strips, making them unusable.
Hello, I use the meter and test strips One Touch select plus. I recently used a set that was 2 years out of date (I found out later). All comics just do it. Now I have a jar that is just 5 days out of date, can that hurt? Could it be that the measurements are incorrect? be too high?
Dear Erwin, according to the manufacturer, reliability decreases when a strip has expired.
De Onetouch products disappear completely from the Dutch market. This may be a good time to switch to another meter. We still have the Select Plus strips for a few months.
Dear sir / Madam.
I use test strip kontour next, I still have 100 pieces, they expired in June 2019, can I still use them?
Best regards .
Louise
Hi Louise, the strips can give an unreliable result.
I still have some old One Touch Vita test strips, which showed 7.2 when measured with my new battery check mobile and it showed 7.1. What does this say about new and old injection data?
Actually nothing at all. You will always see a difference in measurement. This difference is very small.
Hello! Should the brand of the strips match the device you are using? Or can you also buy the same shape strips from another brand?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Nisma, each type of meter has its own test strip. Test strips can never be used on multiple brands or different types of meters. Within a brand like Accu-Chek, for example, there are several meters available, all with their own type of test strip.
Hallo,
How long do the battery check performa strips last after opening?
Greetings Angela
Hi Angela, the shelf life is stated on the packaging. Opening has nothing to do with this. Keep the strips in the tube (and not too warm).
Dear Employee,
What do you mean by opening accu chek performa has nothing to do with it? So order 2 or 3 tubes without any worries as long as it is within the expiration date?
In my apartment it sometimes gets above 25 degrees, isn't that too hot?
Thanks for your message.
Yours faithfully,
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne, the test strips have a shelf life, but that shelf life does not have much to do with opening them. They have an average shelf life of about 12 months. Unlike the Accu-Chek Mobile, they only have a shelf life of 3 months after first use (after opening). 25 degrees is certainly not too hot.
Can the inform 2 test strips be used in the accu chek performa? (The performa where the chip bet)
I have a question my friend has just started when do you do the test dots
Dear P van der Wal, what do you mean by this? If your friend wants to measure, it starts with a test strip. A test strip is used for each measurement.
Dag,
I received 20 test strips in a plastic bag for the first use. With all these 20 test strips I measured too high a value (between 7 and 10). Then I received test strips in a sealed jar of 50 strips, which were accidentally left unopened in sunlight for a while. However, with these test strips I always measure neat values (between 4 and 5). So I suspect that either the first test strips are not good or the second set is not good. What can I do now?
You indicate that expired test strips indicate an inaccurate value. Do you mean that they can indicate a value that is too high or too low?
Thanks in advance for your response!
Hello, I have the TD Gluco with Bluetooth. Do the test strips only have a shelf life of 3 months after opening? Or until the expiration date stated on the packaging?
Dear Ran81, the TD Gluco strips can indeed be used 3 months after opening. Also see: https://diabetesmagazijn.nl/product/ht-one-td-gluco-teststrips-50-stuks/
I have a battery check meter. The strips have expired since August 2020. My values are always 9.7, which I find very strange, because I hardly use any sweets. I take three tablets a day. Could the height be due to the dilapidated strips. I just feel good otherwise
Thanks for your comment
Dear Linda, expired strips can produce incorrect measurements. These strips are 5-6 months out of date and this increases the chance that they will not show the correct result. The chance of an incorrect measurement is much greater as the enzyme wears out over time.