Dry ice is a cooling material often used by factories and supermarkets due to its ability to effectively preserve food throughout the entire transportation process from the manufacturer to the consumer. So we can understand that dry ice used for food is absolutely possible. In today’s article, together with the Specco2 team, let’s learn more about dry ice, its advantages, things to look out for when we use it and many more!
What is dry ice?
Dry ice, also known as the solid form of CO2, is a freezing and cooling material with many practical uses. This type of media is also extremely diverse in size, they can be in the form of cubes, blocks, or even pellets,… The variety in shapes is made in order to meet the user’s needs and usage.
Another remarkable feature is that all dry ice used in the process of transporting is made from recycled CO2, a by-product of other industrial processes. Thanks to that, during the before and after usage, it does not produce or add harmful CO2 gas to the atmosphere! This material is considered to be completely environmentally friendly and therefore does not cause the greenhouse effect.
How dry ice is used for preserving food
For the food industry in general, dry ice can be used in two main areas: cold chain management and food processing.
The reason why dry ice is so popular and put into use is because of its great features, which can be mentioned as:
- It has a very cold temperature (-79°C), this allows it to freeze and preserve food for up to 24 hours if used correctly.
- It is labeled as environmentally friendly as dry ice is a by-product of industrial processes, made from recycled CO2 so it doesn’t add up to the greenhouse effect once evaporated.
- When it sublimates, dry ice will not turn into water but back to its gaseous state instead. It helps big time in keeping the transportation process dry and is also spoilage-free.
This material is often used in meat processing facilities, bakeries and wine factories, etc. to maintain the required temperature. As a result, businesses can now reduce food spoilage during production, inhibit the growth of bacteria, slowing both yeast growth and fermentation.
Regarding the practical application of dry ice, it can be seen most clearly that when COVID-19 took place, the lockdown and social distancing made it difficult for people to go to the supermarket to buy necessities, food, and beverage. They often have to order groceries online and wait for deliveries. Thanks to the use of dry ice throughout the cold chain management, products such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, etc., remain fresh and are not damaged, rancid or fermented when en route and also when arriving at the destination.
How to use dry ice correctly, safely and effectively
Dry ice is commonly used as a cooling agent for multiple uses such as food preservation, laboratory test results, etc. It is also the main material used for dry ice blasting mainly utilized for cleaning industrial applications. Due to its freezing cold trait, when transporting dry ice we need to pay special attention to a few things to avoid possible risks or hazards that may arise. This includes things like:
- Protecting your eyes and hands: Exposure to the extremely cold surface temperatures of dry ice can cause skin damage and severe frostbite. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you use insulated/cryogenic gloves, safety glasses, face shields and any personal protective equipment if needed.
- Do not store dry ice in poorly ventilated areas, such as basements because even a small amount of dry ice can evaporate and sublime into CO2 rapidly. This can be extremely toxic at high concentrations and dangerous to the user’s health. You can experience symptoms such as respiratory arrest and unconsciousness when inhaling during transportation or work.
- Do not store dry ice in a sealed container: In a closed environment, when dry ice sublimes, it will come back to CO2 gas form which can result in pressure caused. Due to this, the container can even crack or explode.
In order to use and preserve dry ice and optimize its usage to the fullest, companies have chosen Olivo – one of the leading brands with specialized insulation cabinets used primarily for transporting and storing dry ice; all thanks to its ability to maintain dry ice usage for up to 24 hours.
Olivo – The best solution for shipping food with dry ice
To transport food from the source/provider to the consumer, we need to consider two factors very carefully: First, the dry ice media and second, the insulated container to store both dry ice and foodstuffs that need to be shipped. This is to ensure that everything is kept in top condition and preserved at high quality throughout the whole time. Also, it is to avoid item damage caused by temperature fluctuations during transportation.
In the past, businesses used to use styrofoam coolers for shipping, but the material itself is not very helpful, difficult to clean, unable to maintain the cold temperature for long, and cannot be reused many times. In addition, because they are made from CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbon), these products deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming, which is harmful to the environment. Since then, Olivo has created insulated cabinets in different sizes, features, and usages to solve this problem.
So what sets Olivo apart from other competitors? Olivo is the world’s leading brand of insulated boxes chosen and trusted thanks to their eco-friendly features in each product, which are very long-lasting and can be used sustainably over time. Olivo’s product lines are made from easily recyclable EPP (Expanded polypropylene) and non-toxic eutectic plates, which are easy to use and thermally protect the dry ice stored to stay cold for a long time. These factors are all important because not only do they protect the health of the carrier, but also reduce the sublimation of the dry ice significantly during the process of transporting.
Olivio insulation cabinets can all be reused and divided into different types, in terms of configuration as well as storage volume, depending on the needs of the user:
- Roll: The front door opener box is specialized for service. Catering, seafood storage. The product is ATP certified, can maintain the product temperature for more than 24 hours and travel more than 80km while keeping the ideal cold.
- Box: Specialized for Last-mile delivery purposes and for preservation needs up to 12 hours. Guaranteed min 500 to max 1000 reuse without any problem.
Thanks to its self-contained system, the Olivo Insulation Boxes do not need any external power to run and maintain temperature, so it is extremely flexible to use. Even if you encounter problems during transportation such as traffic jams, having to close and open the car door many times, the container having to wait to be unloaded from the cargo ship, etc., rest assured that the goods are completely thermally protected and there is no cold chain interruption. Thereby, minimizing operating and maintenance costs compared to using specialized refrigerated trucks.
Some of Olivo’s products to store dry ice
BOX – Dedicated insulation cabinet with open-top lid
BOX 34
- Outer dim. in mm (L x D x H): 555 x 360 x 331 mm
- Inner dim. in mm (L x D x H): 490 x 300 x 255 mm
- Inner volume: 34 Liters
- K value: W/m2.K
- Unloaded weight: 1.6Kg
- Insulating material: Expanded polypropylene
- Wall material: Expanded polypropylene
- Size: Special size
BOX 64
- Outer dim. in mm (L x D x H): 595 x 395 x 455 mm
- Inner dim. in mm (L x D x H): 505 x 320 x 370 mm
- Inner volume: 60 Liters
- K value: W/m2.K
- Unloaded weight: 2.1Kg
- Insulating material: Expanded polypropylene
- Wall material: Expanded polypropylene
- Size: Quarter Euro-pallet 800 x 1200
The BOX series consists of insulated cabinets with chest and lid made of EPP material and can be easily stacked during transport.
ROLL – Insulation cabinet with wheels
ROLL 370
- Outer dim. in mm (L x D x H): 1100 x 1100 x 1930 mm
- Inner dim. in mm (L x D x H): 900 x 910 x 1570 mm
- Inner volume: 1285 Liters
- K value: 0.31 W/m2.K
- Unloaded weight: 156Kg
- Insulating material: Polyurethane foam
- Wall material: Food-grade polyethylene
- Size: Palette Asia 1100 x 1100
Conclusion
Dry ice is an important element in cold chain management, serving as a coolant with excellent shelf life, of up to 24 hours if used with Olivo’s insulated cabinets. Preserve food for longer and maintain its quality even during long-distance transportation. In addition, the use of dry ice not only helps your business save a lot of money but also offers sustainable use thanks to its environmentally friendly trait.
Right now, Specco2 is proud to be the authorized and exclusive distributor of Olivo in Vietnam. If your business needs advice, please contact Specco2 for 24/7 support.
