The measure of harm is what the pack contains and how much of it was contacted; blue colour or a gel look says nothing about this, the label does. According to Poison Control, packs used in the cold chain and at home fall into three groups:
| Pack | Typical contents | On contact |
|---|---|---|
| Reusable gel pack | Water, propylene glycol, thickener, silica gel, non-toxic blue dye | Mild irritation in small amounts; drowsiness similar to intoxication if a lot is swallowed |
| Gel-bead pack | Sodium polyacrylate | Can irritate if swallowed |
| Single-use instant cold pack | Water plus ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate or urea | The type that needs most care; ammonium nitrate can lower blood pressure |
In GEBHARDT eutectic plates the filling is a non-toxic salt-water brine inside a food-safe polyethylene shell. With an intact shell the filling never reaches the product in normal use; a plate with a cracked shell is taken out of service.
If filling gets into the eyes, rinse with room-temperature water for 15 minutes; on skin, wash with soap and water; if swallowed, rinse the mouth and take a few sips of water. If symptoms persist or the pack is an instant cold pack, call UZEM ALO 114 in Turkey with the product label, or 112 in an emergency.
If a leak is found during a shipment
Loading stops; the damaged pack, the goods it touched directly and any wet packaging go to a marked separate area. The pack type, lot and supplier go into the incident record, and without a label the contents are not guessed. If only the outside of closed packaging got wet, the packaging is cleaned and the quality owner assesses the lot; if the packaging is torn or the filling reached the product, the product is not released.
Correcting the process and deciding what happens to the affected product are separate steps; FAO corrective-action guidance draws the same line. The record layout is covered in what to do when a gel pack leaks.
