Insta-Slushy!

Mabey they are using this Self Chilling can
[www.tempratech.com]

@vanilla-fro: Yes, I know that it isn't an acutal encyclopedia in and of itself. I also know that if something is wildly wrong or biased, someone will usually edit it to be closer to accurate. I also know that in addition to being very accessible and understandable (as opposed to a scientific or technical journal) it is a good starting point for gathering other references on a subject, so please do feel free to check any of the supporting references at the end of the entry. Or even take a glance at the discussion page, which usually sheds some light on how valid a particular entry is. All of the above are reasons why I didn't claim that wikipedia was the be-all-end-all definitive source on this subject.

It's necessary to do your own legwork on these things so that you don't end up blindy believing someone's opinion or bad science, which was the point of my original post.

I've had that happen in my little fridge in my office that I use to keep soda. I guess the fridge is just really cold and when I open a can out of it, the liquid slush-over almost instantly. It's pretty tasty too. Also, it seems to work with diet soda just fine.

@Dervish: uninformed??? you just used wikipedia to make a point. HA. you know people make that shit up right? it's not a real encyclopedia, you know that?

Awesome.
Now bring it to the US and make it coke.
Frozen Coke, mmmmmmmmm.

@BrockBrockman: Unless I'm missing something, it would work with HFCS coke too - just not diet. At least, that's what I've been able to find.

And we're not trying to adopt the whole "I'm right/you're wrong" attitude, so please don't get up in arms about it. I think some of us are just sick of all the uninformed "OMGWTFBBQ CHEMICALS=BAD!" comments that seem to accompany any article about food. See [en.wikipedia.org] for more on this.

With that said, I'd try something like this in a second and I really hope they start selling coke like this in the states. I loves me a coke slurpee, but I live about two states from the nearest 7-11. If I can satisfy that fix with slushy coke I'd be a happy person.

Doesnt this instafreezing tend to make the soda go flat?? I swear I remember that from when I was younger.

I've been doing this for years. Simply stick a bottle or can of pop in the freezer, take it out after about 45 minutes, and open it. Voila! Instant ice. No biggie.

Otherwise, addressing what I think is the Consumerist's concern, is that the process of super-freezing your drink is entirely safe (until some grandma unexpectedly loses a digit from frostbite), but requires sugary beverages (i.e. no high-fructose corn syrup).

I think it's a pretty neat "technology", but I'm kind of a sucker for soda-gimmicks. Crystal Pepsi, Coke Blak, sure they suck, but I admit to having been an early adopter of new soda technology.

"I would think until they figure out a way to do this for room temperature sodas it wouldn't be a big deal."

They did, at least for astronauts. As I recall, NASA challenged the major soft-drink manufacturers to create a self-cooling soft-drink for space use. IIRC, Coca-cola came up with a design that included a cone full of CO2 that dipped down into the liquid. To open it, you first released a seal that vented the CO2, thus instantly chilling the cone, and thereby chilling the soda. A nifty idea, but the cone took up too much of the product space, and a can for consumer use would have cost about ten bucks.

@rmz: I didn't know that all the people commenting worked for coke. Anyway, they're saying mechanism in the actual article. If it is just the pressure relaese turning it to ice fine, still no need for excitment and if they charge more...certainly no need for the product. if it is something in the bottle (solid/liquid/gas), I still don't want it.

By the way (sorry I mean BTW) thanks for being so much smarter than I am and jumping my sh*t for it.

[quote]
Yes, but the way it works is not something in the bottle or product. We've developed a piece of cold drink equipment we call SuperChill. It keeps the beverage (has to be a sugar beverage, doesn't work on diet given the lower vicosity, or at least not yet). When you open the bottle, ice crystals begin to form, all through the beverage - it's really cool (no pun intended). I've had this happen with the old fashioned glass bottles that are really cold. We've figured out how to make it happen on purpose and consistently. I love going to our KO Lab, just to get one! Equipment just beginning to go in some markets, think Mexico first. Cool Coke innovation at work!

love, mom
[/quote]

Dan of dansdata.com has a great "expose" on this phenomenon at [dansdata.blogsome.com]

Well, this is almost as exciting as the original Boddington's widget...! (Of course, I bothered to comment, so I guess that's saying something.)

This process is entirely about nucleation sites. Ice doesn't spontaneously form without some imperfection to build around. The insides of glass bottles are highly smooth, so there's nowhere for ice to form until you disturb the top of the liquid with air from the outside. Or just give it a really good thump. If you don't believe me, try the freezer trick with a bottle of Sobe or something. No pressure, no carbonation, no chemicals, just sugar water. The only trick Coke is likely employing is the super-chilling and some extra smooth cans.

There's no mechanism. It's physics. Fluids under pressure freeze at a lower temperature than fluids at one atmosphere of pressure. If it's kept in it's sealed carbonated bottle at 30 F when you remove the cap and release the pressure it will almost instantly slush-over.

I've done this in my own freezer many times, it's perfectly safe.

That is the coolest thing I have ever seen. Well, not really... I saw a dog dressed up as a Krispie Kreme dougnut guy earlier.

Maybe it's the same mechanism as the corona ice trick, check it out by searching that on youtube.

@CurbRunner:
@vanilla-fro:

How about actually reading the comments before jumping on the "OMG CHEMICALS" paranoia bandwagon? It's very possible to do this with no chemicals whatsoever.

I think this is a good idea.

How about putting ice in it? that's been working for a long time now hasn't it? I don't need any extra chemicals in my already malnutritious and chemical ladin soft drinks.

They could probably enhance the effect by increasing the gas pressure in the bottle and allowing it to escape in a controled way by changing the bottle design, but as long as they chill it to just above freezing you would see the same effect with a normal bottle.

Perhaps it only works with sugar-based, and not corn syrup-based soda? Not sure what the UK uses, but that's my rampant speculation.

This is a great idea. I love half-frozen slush-type drinks. When I was younger I would often stick my drink the freezer for 10-15 minutes so it would end up just like this. Great during the summer :)

@edrift101: No, consumers will most certainly drop dead from using this product. It is only safe for non-consumers.

They could be just keeping the drink just above its natural freezing point. When it's opened, the expanding gas would cool off the surface of the drink, jump starting the freezing of the rest of it. My college roommate left a beer in the freezer too long one night and when he opened it, the same thing happened. It just needed that extra cold kick start from the expanding gases.

I thought they hated ice in the UK? That's been my experience.