Why Dry Ice is Better than Gel Packs for Shipping Frozen Food
Dry ice is the superior way to ship frozen meats and other perishable food items!
When tasked with shipping frozen food across the countryside, you will likely have a few means of doing so, most notably through dry ice or gel packs. Shipping frozen food around the country is no easy task, simply due to the fact that the food must indeed remain frozen. If the food thaws, especially if it is a quickly perishable product like meat or dairy, the food will not only spoil but may also become harmful for human consumption. Therefore, making sure the frozen food remains frozen is key during shipment. When choosing between the two most common options of keeping items cold, we recommend always choosing dry ice over gel packs. Why you ask? Read this to find out.
It’s Much Colder
Dry ice is actually the frozen form of CO2, and therefore it has a much lower freezing temperature than other kinds of ice or frozen materials, sitting around -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit. A gel pack is usually made up of a material consisting mostly of water, so it generally only is below the freezing point of water. Therefore, dry ice can actually keep frozen food products much, much colder than an ice pack. This is beneficial for shipping in a number of ways, most notably how it almost entirely prevents the risk of thawing, which can cause bacterial growth.
It Stays Cool Much Longer
Another great reason to use dry ice while shipping frozen food is the food will stay frozen much longer. Since dry ice is so cold, you won’t have to worry about constantly checking on or replacing the coolant to keep everything frozen solid. When in an insulated area, dry ice will not be completely sublimated (returned to gaseous form) until at least 24 hours, ensuring that your products will be delivered just as cold as they were when they were packed.
No Water Residue
Lastly, melting and condensation can become a big issue, especially when shipping meat and seafood products. Condensation occurs when something begins to melt, and the surrounding water vapor turns into its liquid form. Water can actually speed up the decomposition time and can cause a plethora of problems, such as mold and fungi growth on the products themselves. Gel packs rely on water-based freezing, which hugely increase the risk of water contamination via condensation. Since dry ice is not composed of water, it does not actually melt, it instead turns straight into a gaseous form. Therefore, there is zero risk of water contamination.
Dry Ice For All Your Needs
Dry Ice Corp is the largest regional supplier of dry ice and related products in the Northeastern United States. Our ice is fresh and delivered right to your doorstep. We are happy to help you determine the best way to ship your goods, whether you have a huge amount of cookies or a single pie, and help you select the perfect amount of dry ice for the job. Give us a call at (201) 767-3200 or contact us online for a quote. To connect with us online, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
