diff --git a/cache.go b/cache.go
index 1b9e72e..fbfaebe 100644
--- a/cache.go
+++ b/cache.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func (c *Cache[K, V]) set(key K, value V, ttl time.Duration) *Item[K, V] {
 	}
 
 	// create a new item
-	item := newItem(key, value, ttl, c.options.enableVersionTracking)
+	item := NewItem(key, value, ttl, c.options.enableVersionTracking)
 	elem = c.items.lru.PushFront(item)
 	c.items.values[key] = elem
 	c.updateExpirations(true, elem)
diff --git a/cache_test.go b/cache_test.go
index f88b2e0..68bd340 100644
--- a/cache_test.go
+++ b/cache_test.go
@@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ func prepCache(ttl time.Duration, keys ...string) *Cache[string, string] {
 
 func addToCache(c *Cache[string, string], ttl time.Duration, keys ...string) {
 	for i, key := range keys {
-		item := newItem(
+		item := NewItem(
 			key,
 			fmt.Sprint("value of", key),
 			ttl+time.Duration(i)*time.Minute,
diff --git a/item.go b/item.go
index c3c26cf..92eb73b 100644
--- a/item.go
+++ b/item.go
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ type Item[K comparable, V any] struct {
 	version    int64
 }
 
-// newItem creates a new cache item.
-func newItem[K comparable, V any](key K, value V, ttl time.Duration, enableVersionTracking bool) *Item[K, V] {
+// NewItem creates a new cache item.
+func NewItem[K comparable, V any](key K, value V, ttl time.Duration, enableVersionTracking bool) *Item[K, V] {
 	item := &Item[K, V]{
 		key:   key,
 		value: value,
diff --git a/item_test.go b/item_test.go
index 0d001a7..7e7699e 100644
--- a/item_test.go
+++ b/item_test.go
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-func Test_newItem(t *testing.T) {
-	item := newItem("key", 123, time.Hour, false)
+func Test_NewItem(t *testing.T) {
+	item := NewItem("key", 123, time.Hour, false)
 	require.NotNil(t, item)
 	assert.Equal(t, "key", item.key)
 	assert.Equal(t, 123, item.value)