Ice Pack Gel

We recommend freezing smaller gel ice packs (100g or less) for at least 12 hours. For larger gel ice packs we recommend a freezing time of 24 hours. Do note that freezing times may vary depending on the freezer, temperature and quantity of gel ice packs being frozen at once. Gel ice packs are ready to use when the liquid contained is frozen solid. Gel ice pack can also be the better choice for cold-chain transportation of food & medicine since it can provide the proper low temperature without melting water running around. It is also reusable and anti-bacteria.

For the most part, gel ice packs are the easiest solution for cold shipping. Because they freeze at a lower temperature than ice, they tend to last longer, usually about 24-36 hours (depending on how well insulated a package is).

Gel ice packs typically keep items at a temperature range of between 5-20 C. The range is dependent on the ratio of ice gel pack to volume of the container. The more empty space is filled with gel ice packs, the colder it is.

Unlike gel ice packs, dry ice is considered a hazardous material. What that means is dry ice is subject to additional shipping regulations and special handling, specifically when shipping by air. Gel ice packs, on the other hand, don’t have the restrictions when shipping by air and can even be traveled with according to the TSA guidelines (see question on the 3-1-1 rule).

SOCO® gel ice packs are designed to not leak under most circumstances but if they do, they are non-toxic and do not contain any hazardous materials. The gel in freezer packs is usually a polymer mixed with water, they should be relatively safe. Note however, to be on the safe side, if a gel ice pack does leak into your food, we don’t recommend eating or serving it.

Typical gel ice pack use requires only 1 piece per insulated container when transporting food items. The size of the gel ice pack required is dependent on the travel duration and size of the container. For smaller containers (take away sized) we recommend 1 piece of the 100g OEM Gel ICE Pack or 40g Streampeak Gel ICE Pack. For medium size we’d recommend 1-2 pieces of the larger size depending on the space available.