A retest date is the date when a material should be re-examined to assess whether it remains suitable for use. It is recorded on labels, certificates of analysis and related quality records. In translation, keep the material context and the exact source field; a retest date is not a statement that material has been released for use.
Updated
Angel Translation editorial reference · Confirm the rendering against your source and approved project terminology.
Check source meaning → confirm the preferred term → record approved variants and references.
Retest-date fields appear on material labels, specifications, certificates of analysis and stability records. The linked ICH Q7A guidance discusses expiry and retest dating for intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Preserve the actual material context when translating, and keep a calendar date separate from a retest period, shelf life or expiry field.
A frequent error is treating a retest date as an expiry date or a retest period. The date indicates when material should be re-examined to assess continued suitability; it is not itself a statement of release status. Preserve the source’s date, duration and expiry labels rather than turning one into another.
From reading to a project
Review status: questions to confirm
Render “retest date” as a date field and “retest period” or “shelf life” as a duration field. Keep the source’s date format and time unit; do not turn one into the other.
Keep “retest date” and “expiry date” in separate fields when both occur. Preserve the source label and its linked value instead of treating the terms as synonyms.
The date field records the source label and its value; it does not state material suitability, release status or actual disposition.
List the actual label or certificate, source date/period fields, approved terms, reviewer and required translated file format.
Check intended use, warnings, document versions and approved terminology with the project team. Translation supports documentation; it does not establish product approval or regulatory acceptance.
Provide approved terms and previous translations with the source files. Agree how variants, ambiguous wording and revisions will be reviewed. Terminology maintenance and any termbase handback are confirmed in the project scope. See the 8-step AI + expert workflow.
Include the source and target languages, file types, intended use, deadline and any approved termbase. Agree handling before sending sensitive files. Acknowledged in 4 hours, quoted in 24.
Prepare a Chinese label-field inquiry →Life Science solutions →File handling →A glossary entry is not an official standard or evidence of regulatory acceptance. Confirm current requirements for your project separately.