diff --git a/include/cmetrics/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.h b/include/cmetrics/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.h
index 46beca4..811ba36 100644
--- a/include/cmetrics/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.h
+++ b/include/cmetrics/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.h
@@ -30,15 +30,32 @@
 #define CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_INVALID_ARGUMENT_ERROR 2
 #define CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_UNEXPECTED_METRIC_TYPE 3
 #define CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_DATA_POINT_INIT_ERROR  4
+#define CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR           5
+
+#define CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_THRESHOLD       300000000000L /*  5 minutes in nanoseconds */
+#define CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_DISABLED        -1L /* disabled */
+
 
 struct cmt_opentelemetry_context
 {
     size_t                                          resource_index;
     Opentelemetry__Proto__Metrics__V1__MetricsData *metrics_data;
     struct cmt                                     *cmt;
+    int                                             use_cutoff;
+    int64_t                                         cutoff_threshold;
+};
+
+struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts
+{
+    int     use_cutoff;
+    int64_t cutoff_threshold;
 };
 
 cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt);
+cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff(struct cmt *cmt, int use_cutoff);
+cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff_opts(struct cmt *cmt,
+                                                           struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts *opts);
+
 void cmt_encode_opentelemetry_destroy(cfl_sds_t text);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.c b/src/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.c
index 8378bc8..0035220 100644
--- a/src/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.c
+++ b/src/cmt_encode_opentelemetry.c
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ static void destroy_opentelemetry_context(
     struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context);
 
 static struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *initialize_opentelemetry_context(
-    struct cmt *cmt);
+    struct cmt *cmt, struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts *opts);
 
 static inline Opentelemetry__Proto__Common__V1__AnyValue *cfl_variant_to_otlp_any_value(struct cfl_variant *value);
 static inline Opentelemetry__Proto__Common__V1__KeyValue *cfl_variant_kvpair_to_otlp_kvpair(struct cfl_kvpair *input_pair);
@@ -2138,7 +2138,7 @@ static Opentelemetry__Proto__Resource__V1__Resource *
 }
 
 static struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *initialize_opentelemetry_context(
-    struct cmt *cmt)
+    struct cmt *cmt, struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts *opts)
 {
     struct cfl_kvlist                            *resource_metrics_root;
     struct cfl_kvlist                            *scope_metrics_root;
@@ -2166,6 +2166,8 @@ static struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *initialize_opentelemetry_context(
     memset(context, 0, sizeof(struct cmt_opentelemetry_context));
 
     context->cmt = cmt;
+    context->use_cutoff = opts->use_cutoff;
+    context->cutoff_threshold = opts->cutoff_threshold;
 
     resource = initialize_resource(resource_root, &result);
 
@@ -2369,6 +2371,17 @@ int append_sample_to_metric(struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context,
     return result;
 }
 
+static int check_staled_timestamp(struct cmt_metric *metric, uint64_t now, uint64_t cutoff)
+{
+    uint64_t ts;
+    uint64_t diff;
+
+    ts = cmt_metric_get_timestamp(metric);
+    diff = now - ts;
+
+    return diff > cutoff;
+}
+
 int pack_basic_type(struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context,
                     struct cmt_map *map,
                     size_t *metric_index)
@@ -2382,8 +2395,11 @@ int pack_basic_type(struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context,
     Opentelemetry__Proto__Metrics__V1__Metric *metric;
     int                                        result;
     struct cfl_list                            *head;
+    uint64_t                                    now;
+    int                                         cutoff = CMT_FALSE;
 
     sample_count = 0;
+    now = cfl_time_now();
 
     if (map->metric_static_set) {
         sample_count++;
@@ -2434,6 +2450,15 @@ int pack_basic_type(struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context,
                                          &map->metric,
                                          sample_index++);
 
+        if (context->use_cutoff == CMT_TRUE &&
+            check_staled_timestamp(&map->metric, now,
+                                   context->cutoff_threshold)) {
+            destroy_metric(metric);
+
+            /* Skip processing metrics which are staled over the threshold */
+            return CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR;
+        }
+
         if (result != CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_SUCCESS) {
             destroy_metric(metric);
 
@@ -2444,6 +2469,15 @@ int pack_basic_type(struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context,
     cfl_list_foreach(head, &map->metrics) {
         sample = cfl_list_entry(head, struct cmt_metric, _head);
 
+        if (context->use_cutoff == CMT_TRUE &&
+            check_staled_timestamp(&map->metric, now,
+                                   context->cutoff_threshold)) {
+
+            /* Skip processing metrics which are staled over the threshold */
+            cutoff = CMT_TRUE;
+            continue;
+        }
+
         result = append_sample_to_metric(context,
                                          metric,
                                          map,
@@ -2473,6 +2507,10 @@ int pack_basic_type(struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context,
 
     (*metric_index)++;
 
+    if (cutoff == CMT_TRUE) {
+        return CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR;
+    }
+
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -2498,7 +2536,8 @@ static cfl_sds_t render_opentelemetry_context_to_sds(
     return result_buffer;
 }
 
-cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
+cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff_opts(struct cmt *cmt,
+                                                           struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts *opts)
 {
     size_t                            metric_index;
     struct cmt_opentelemetry_context *context;
@@ -2514,7 +2553,7 @@ cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
     buf = NULL;
     result = 0;
 
-    context = initialize_opentelemetry_context(cmt);
+    context = initialize_opentelemetry_context(cmt, opts);
 
     if (context == NULL) {
         return NULL;
@@ -2527,6 +2566,10 @@ cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
             counter = cfl_list_entry(head, struct cmt_counter, _head);
             result = pack_basic_type(context, counter->map, &metric_index);
 
+            if (result == CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             if (result != CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_SUCCESS) {
                 break;
             }
@@ -2538,6 +2581,10 @@ cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
             gauge = cfl_list_entry(head, struct cmt_gauge, _head);
             result = pack_basic_type(context, gauge->map, &metric_index);
 
+            if (result == CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             if (result != CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_SUCCESS) {
                 break;
             }
@@ -2549,6 +2596,10 @@ cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
             untyped = cfl_list_entry(head, struct cmt_untyped, _head);
             result = pack_basic_type(context, untyped->map, &metric_index);
 
+            if (result == CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             if (result != CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_SUCCESS) {
                 break;
             }
@@ -2560,6 +2611,10 @@ cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
             summary = cfl_list_entry(head, struct cmt_summary, _head);
             result = pack_basic_type(context, summary->map, &metric_index);
 
+            if (result == CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             if (result != CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_SUCCESS) {
                 break;
             }
@@ -2571,14 +2626,20 @@ cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
             histogram = cfl_list_entry(head, struct cmt_histogram, _head);
             result = pack_basic_type(context, histogram->map, &metric_index);
 
+            if (result == CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_ERROR) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             if (result != CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_SUCCESS) {
                 break;
             }
         }
     }
 
-    if (result == CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_SUCCESS) {
+    if (metric_index > 0) {
         buf = render_opentelemetry_context_to_sds(context);
+    } else {
+        buf = NULL;
     }
 
     destroy_opentelemetry_context(context);
@@ -2586,6 +2647,24 @@ cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
     return buf;
 }
 
+cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff(struct cmt *cmt, int use_cutoff)
+{
+    struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts opts;
+    opts.use_cutoff = use_cutoff;
+    opts.cutoff_threshold = CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_THRESHOLD;
+
+    return cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff_opts(cmt, &opts);
+}
+
+cfl_sds_t cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(struct cmt *cmt)
+{
+    struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts opts;
+    opts.use_cutoff = CMT_FALSE;
+    opts.cutoff_threshold = CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_DISABLED;
+
+    return cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff_opts(cmt, &opts);
+}
+
 void cmt_encode_opentelemetry_destroy(cfl_sds_t text)
 {
     cfl_sds_destroy(text);
diff --git a/tests/decoding.c b/tests/decoding.c
index 6c70811..7043797 100644
--- a/tests/decoding.c
+++ b/tests/decoding.c
@@ -32,19 +32,17 @@
 
 #include "cmt_tests.h"
 
-static struct cmt *generate_encoder_test_data()
+static struct cmt *generate_encoder_test_data_with_timestamp(uint64_t ts)
 {
     double                        quantiles[5];
     struct cmt_histogram_buckets *buckets;
     double                        val;
     struct cmt                   *cmt;
-    uint64_t                      ts;
     struct cmt_gauge             *g1;
     struct cmt_counter           *c1;
     struct cmt_summary           *s1;
     struct cmt_histogram         *h1;
 
-    ts = 0;
     cmt = cmt_create();
 
     c1 = cmt_counter_create(cmt, "kubernetes", "network", "load_counter", "Network load counter",
@@ -124,6 +122,14 @@ static struct cmt *generate_encoder_test_data()
     return cmt;
 }
 
+static struct cmt *generate_encoder_test_data_now()
+{
+    uint64_t ts = 0;
+    ts = cfl_time_now();
+
+    return generate_encoder_test_data_with_timestamp(ts);
+}
+
 void test_opentelemetry()
 {
     cfl_sds_t        reference_prometheus_context;
@@ -139,7 +145,7 @@ void test_opentelemetry()
 
     cmt_initialize();
 
-    cmt = generate_encoder_test_data();
+    cmt = generate_encoder_test_data_now();
     TEST_CHECK(cmt != NULL);
 
     reference_prometheus_context = cmt_encode_prometheus_create(cmt, CMT_TRUE);
diff --git a/tests/encoding.c b/tests/encoding.c
index b962a46..cdcc747 100644
--- a/tests/encoding.c
+++ b/tests/encoding.c
@@ -583,10 +583,12 @@ void test_opentelemetry()
     cfl_sds_t payload;
     struct cmt *cmt;
     FILE *sample_file;
+    uint64_t ts;
 
     cmt_initialize();
+    ts = cfl_time_now();
 
-    cmt = generate_encoder_test_data();
+    cmt = generate_encoder_test_data_with_timestamp(ts);
 
     payload = cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create(cmt);
     TEST_CHECK(NULL != payload);
@@ -609,7 +611,49 @@ curl -v 'http://localhost:9090/v1/metrics' -H 'Content-Type: application/x-proto
 
     fclose(sample_file);
 
-    cmt_encode_prometheus_remote_write_destroy(payload);
+    cmt_encode_opentelemetry_destroy(payload);
+
+    cmt_destroy(cmt);
+}
+
+void test_opentelemetry_outdated()
+{
+    cfl_sds_t payload;
+    struct cmt *cmt;
+    uint64_t ts;
+
+    cmt_initialize();
+    ts = cfl_time_now() - CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_THRESHOLD * 1.5;
+
+    cmt = generate_encoder_test_data_with_timestamp(ts);
+
+    payload = cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff(cmt, CMT_TRUE);
+    TEST_CHECK(NULL == payload);
+
+    cmt_encode_opentelemetry_destroy(payload);
+
+    cmt_destroy(cmt);
+}
+
+void test_opentelemetry_outdated_with_cutoff_opts()
+{
+    cfl_sds_t payload;
+    struct cmt *cmt;
+    uint64_t ts;
+    struct cmt_opentelemetry_context_opts opts;
+
+    opts.use_cutoff = CMT_TRUE;
+    opts.cutoff_threshold = CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_THRESHOLD;
+
+    cmt_initialize();
+    ts = cfl_time_now() - CMT_ENCODE_OPENTELEMETRY_CUTOFF_THRESHOLD * 1.5;
+
+    cmt = generate_encoder_test_data_with_timestamp(ts);
+
+    payload = cmt_encode_opentelemetry_create_with_cutoff_opts(cmt, &opts);
+    TEST_CHECK(NULL == payload);
+
+    cmt_encode_opentelemetry_destroy(payload);
 
     cmt_destroy(cmt);
 }
@@ -1173,6 +1217,8 @@ TEST_LIST = {
     {"cmt_msgpack_labels",             test_cmt_to_msgpack_labels},
     {"cmt_msgpack",                    test_cmt_to_msgpack},
     {"opentelemetry",                  test_opentelemetry},
+    {"opentelemetry_old_context",      test_opentelemetry_outdated},
+    {"opentelemetry_cutoff_opts",      test_opentelemetry_outdated_with_cutoff_opts},
     {"cloudwatch_emf",                 test_cloudwatch_emf},
     {"prometheus",                     test_prometheus},
     {"text",                           test_text},