SLOWTWITCH GEL QUESTION FOUR: If you were to compete in a half-Ironman, what would be your nutritional regimen during the race?

CLIF SHOT: For obvious reasons, we keep many aspects of product development under wraps until it’s time for a product to go to market. However, we have just released our revised CLIF SHOT package with the patent-pending Litter Leash™, the first environmentally-conscious energy gel tear-top that folds out of the way during use, but stays attached. With the introduction of the Litter Leash, athletes benefit in two ways:
  • Athletes can help minimize litter on the roads and trails by eliminating loose torn-off tops.
  • Athletes can reduce the amount of time it takes to consume a package of CLIF SHOT since the step of disposing the top has been eliminated.

HAMMER GEL: The shelf life of Hammer Gel is eight months, up to a year if refrigerated. Once opened, we suggest it be kept in the refrigerator. Unopened it can be kept either in the refrigerator or in a place out of direct heat and sunlight.

FIREBALL: Most gels have a 12-16 month shelf life, Fireball actually has a three-year shelf life since it is pasteurized and has some herbs and spices that aid shelf life. It is the only 100 percent natural energy gel that does not rely on preservatives. Like triathlon training it is quality not quantity that counts.

LEPPIN: Our shelf life is about 2-1/2 years dated packaging. Keep it out of heat and direct sunlight. Our preservatives are our electrolytes—we don't use sodium benzoate like many others (too hot for the oral and throat membranes).

CARB-BOOM: Carb-BOOM has a shelf life of one to two years if unopened. Once the foil pack is open, any leftover portions of Carb-BOOM should be kept in the refrigerator. It’s difficult to predict the exact stability of a gel after the seal has been broken due to multiple factors that affect food freshness. However, a general rule to follow is that once Carb-BOOM has been opened, it can be safely kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

POWERGEL: Our example would be to treat the gel in a plastic flask as you would ketchup. Both ketchup and PowerBar® PowerGel® are shelf-stable products, meaning they can be kept at room temperature due to the pH of the products. However, it is recommended that after the products are open they be refrigerated to prevent the growth of yeast and mold.

GU: Several things influence the life of a gel.

  1. Original packaging
    1. Foil barrier: GU Energy Gel has a foil barrier to keep oxygen out and water in. This lengthens its shelf life. Our "best by" date is 11 months from date of production.
    2. Out-of-date GU was used by the Yugoslav Olympic rowing team at Sydney and was found to produce the same energy levels as fresh GU. However, flavor does change with time. For the freshest taste, check the "best by" date.
    3. Plastic barriers: Plastic is porous. If an energy gel is sold in a plastic container, oxygen (an enemy of shelf life) gets into the product. Flavor will change, and the effectiveness of the ingredients will diminish.
  2. Repacking gels into plastic containers

    If you put GU into a plastic flask (five servings) and then put it into the freezer, it will last for months, if not years. However, if bacteria from your saliva comes into contact with a gel product, treat it like any other food product—use it within a day and refrigerate the unused portion. If you don’t use it in a few weeks, throw it out. It’s best to play it safe.
  3. Product abuse

    As with any food, excessive temperatures speed up chemical reactions, which degrade the flavor. GU sitting in the trunk of a car in the summer sun for weeks on end may not taste quite as great as normal.
  4. Preservatives

    Preservatives help preserve foods. They slow degradation, thereby enhancing the safety, quality, and shelf life of foods. Benzoates and sorbates (contained in GU) have been safely used for decades to maintain food quality and are found naturally in foods. Benzoic acid, for example, occurs in cranberries, prunes, plums, cinnamon, and cloves.

    All foods—even foods we think of as "bullet proof" (such as jam in a glass jar, canned foods, or meat in our coldest freezers)—have shelf lives, some shorter than gel products.

SHARKIES: Sharkies have a shelf life of one year and stay best in a temperature range of 50–80 degrees Fahrenheit. Sharkies are packed with a mixture of four different flavors—blackberry, cherry, lemon, and tangerine. As you open a bag you will smell the fruit flavors escaping. Sharkies will never melt in extremely warm temperatures or completely freeze in cold weather. Actually, many people will keep Sharkies in the freezer and enjoy them cold.