Refrigerant Gel Packs

[blueyedgirl5946]

I have about eight of these gel packs. I am thinking of using them in a cooler when I go grocery shopping as I like to go to two different stores. How long would they keep meat or groceries safe.

 

[Winchester]

When we go out to Trader Joe's (it's about 60 miles west of us), we take a cooler with some gel packs. We usually come straight home and our frozen items are still nicely frozen with the gel pacs in the cooler. It takes us a little over an hour to get back home.

I guess if you were just going to go from one store to another and not take a really long time at the second store, you should be OK.

I know....not much help. Sorry! (BTW, that's a great picture of Snoop)

 

[neely]

I agree with Winchester , probably about 1 hour. If I go to my favorite farmer's market in summer that is approx. 45 min. - 1 hour away I will also come straight home or if I have another stop to make I will bring my cooler bag w/gel packs into the air conditioned store with me.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

Actually, Friday, I put them in the bottom of a cooler. I left home about eleven. I did a quick stop, ate lunch with hubby.
We finished up about 12:30. I went to a grocery, where I was in the store about 30 minutes. I bought a package of pork chops and put them on the gel packs in the cooler. That was about 1 PM. Then I went to the second store and was in there probably between one and one half hours. I opened the cooler to check on the chops and they were cold. I put some other things in there, like a bag of lettuce, some cheeses, milk and creamers. I then came home. The gel packs were frozen hard still.

Now I am wondering if I left these chops in the cooler too long for them to be safe. ?? There is a phone number on the gel packs. Maybe I should call and see what they say about how long these gel packs will keep fresh meat safe.

Winchester Thanks for the compliment on Snoop. Isn't he just a great looking cat?

 

[Willowy]

In my experience, gel packs are good at keeping things COLD but not good at keeping things FROZEN. Well, if you use enough of them they can but you'd have to line the whole cooler. So, yeah, the pork chops should be fine but don't expect popsicles to still be popsicle-shaped .

 

[sivyaleah]

I'd be cautious about using them more than an hour if not kept in an ice cooler. While the item might still feel cold, it may not be at the correct temperature to prevent bacteria from growing. Most food is safe for just about an hour or so but after that the risk increases. Proper temperature to hold food is 38 degrees - which is what a refrigerator should be if working properly.

My BIL is a health inspector and I've learned a lot from him over the years.

 

[Kieka]

I have one of these for when I have to travel further with frozen or temperature sensitive foods or will need to make a few stops on the way : Freezable Grocery Bag

Love it. I will add some ice packs inside too if it should stay frozen. I've never had to leave anything in it for more than an hour though. I get antsy about food safety so I even have a smaller one for the 45 minute drive to work.

I found this: Transportation of perishable and refrigerated foods in mylar foil bags and insulated containers: a time-temperature study. - PubMed - NCBI which basically said that when paired with gel packs a mylar foil bag, a commercial insulated bag, a generic insulated bag, or a commercial insulated blanket were good for up to 4 hours. I would think that leaving them in a hot car while doing shopping would reduce that by at least half.

 

[orange&white]

It's 100 degrees here, so the car gets over 100. I freeze 500ml drinking water bottles (with tap water after they're empty). They work well and still have ice after 2 hours. I would think gel packs would be similar.

 

[debbila]

The hard plastic artificial ice packs are better for longer periods of time in a cooler or insulated bag. There's no danger of them becoming liquid like gel packs might. The frozen food will stay frozen too!