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Assessment of cool bags
Testing of insulated bags and boxes.
In this article, Simon Courtney looks at the testing of insulated bags and boxes against BS EN 12546-2:2000 –
'Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs – insulated containers for domestic use – Part 2:
Specification for insulated bags and boxes'.
Insulated bags and boxes are popular functional items used for temporary storage and transport of foodstuffs
and incorporate insulation properties to keep the contents cool (and sometimes hot) prior to consumption.
They can vary in size from small lunch bags for individuals through to larger boxes and bags intended for family
picnics.
Insulated bags and boxes intended primarily for use with cold food and/or drinks are often referred to as cool
bags or boxes and those intended primarily for hot food and/or drinks as hot bags or hot boxes. BS EN 12546-
2000: Part 2 applies to both types of container.
Part 2 of this specification is applicable to all types of portable domestic food and/or drink insulated containers
such as boxes, chests and bags, intended to contain generally wrapped or packaged food and/or drinks in their
containers. The specification does not apply to insulated bags designed specifically for short-term
transportation of frozen foods, containers for industrial or catering uses, or insulated flasks and jugs.
Figure 1: Determining thermal conductivity of a cool bag
The specification defines an applicable
container as one consisting of an inner
container and an outer protective case with an
insulant between them in order to reduce to a
minimum the transfer of heat to or from the
contents of the inner container. Although this
specification refers to containers that may be
used to keep the content hot or cold, it
contains only an assessment for the storage of
cold items. The specification does not assess
the effectiveness of containers for hot storage.
BS EN 12546-2000: Part 2 comprises six tests:
capacity, insulation performance, impact
resistance, handle strength, ease of cleaning
and seepage.
The specification requires that a container
‘shall be designed in such a way that it shall be
possible to easily and completely clean the
item’ but does not describe how this should be
assessed. However, SATRA does this by
inspecting the item to ensure that it is possible
to access all internal surfaces of the container
with a hand-held cleaning cloth Figure 2: Pictogram for insulation performance
Checking capacity of containers
In the capacity test, the actual capacity of the items is measured and compared with any declarations made,
whether this is on a swing tag attached at the point of sale or permanently attached to a product. The capacity
is determined by filling rigid boxes with water. Flexible containers are filled with small polystyrene spheres of
known low density, rather than water, as the weight of the water could cause the container to collapse, spilling
its contents. The weight of the water or spheres which are used to fill the container is measured and this weight
is used to calculate the internal volume of the container in litres.
The specification requires that the nominal
capacity of the containers is quoted to the user
to an accuracy of ± 5 per cent for rigid
containers and ±10 per cent for flexible
containers. No explanation for the different
levels of accuracy is given in the specification.
SATRA considers that the level of accuracy for
measurement for flexible containers is lower
than that for rigid containers due to the ease
with which the container will distort and the
compressible nature of the polystyrene
spheres.
Determination of thermal
conductivity properties
In the insulation test, the thermal conductivity
of the container is assessed in order that it can
be declared to the user. The container is half
filled with water at 5ºC and the time taken for
the water to rise to a temperature of 15ºC is
calculated when it is placed in a warm
environment (figure 1). To do this, the
container is half filled with domestic tap water
which has been bought to a temperature of
5±1ºC and a thermocouple is secured in the
water so that it is held at a position of
approximately half the depth of the water. The
lid of the container is sealed and the whole
container is placed in an oven at a temperature
of 32±1ºC. The temperature of the water in the Figure 3: Cool bag undergoing physical strength testing
container is measured every 15 minutes until it
rises to 15ºC. The insulation performance of the bag is quoted as the time taken for the water to rise from 5ºC
to 15ºC (to the nearest whole hour). The specification requires that this information is declared to the user by
means of a pictogram, which is shown in figure 2. Again, this information can be included on a swing tag or
permanently attached to the container itself.
The specification does not quote any requirements for the insulation properties or capacity, only that the
correct information is provided to the user.
Physical strength testing
In the impact test, the container is loaded with 0.25kg of sand per litre of calculated capacity. The container is
raised to a height of 500mm above a flat concrete floor surface and allowed to fall freely so that it impacts
against the flooring, simulating a loaded bag being dropped. The damage to the container is assessed against
a requirement of ‘not more than superficial damage which does not impair its function’. The test is repeated,
angling the container so that each of the container’s corners impact against the surface in turn.
Most cool bags and boxes have one or more carrying handles and these require assessment of strength. The
container is loaded with 0.5kg of sand per litre of capacity and attached to a fixed support. It is then dropped
from this position and the fall arrested by an inelastic support such as a canvas strap. This procedure is
repeated for a total of ten falls per handle and any damage is assessed. The requirement for this test is that the
handles remain effective after testing (see figures 3 and 4).
Water seepage testing
In the seepage test, water is introduced into the container to determine whether there is a risk of liquids
seeping through from the inner container to the insulant. This test is not applicable to designs which have a
continuous inner container (such as moulded plastic boxes), but is applicable to non-continuous designs such
as bags which contain a stitched seam through which liquids may pass. To perform the test, the container is
filled to 25 per cent of its capacity with water containing a water-soluble dye and a wetting agent. Once filled,
the container is sealed and shaken 25 times to agitate the dyed water inside. The container is emptied, dried
and, for all machine-washable products, a single wash is carried out in accordance with the washing
instructions for the item. The container is allowed to dry prior to assessment. The specification does not
specify how the container is to be dried but SATRA allows the container to air dry overnight at a temperature of
23ºC before the container is dismantled to inspect for any signs of seepage. The specification requires that no
traces of coloured water seeps through the seam.
Figure 4: Failure of fabric at seam resulting from physical strength test
SATRA testing services
Using BS 12546-2, SATRA is able to assess all styles and designs of insulated bags and boxes to ensure they
are satisfactory for placement on the market and to assist with the declaration of information that should be
available to the user at the point of sale.
How can we help?
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©2021 SATRA Technology Centre. Reproduction is not permitted in any form without prior written permission from SATRA.
