HydroGel® FAQ

What does Barrier Packed mean?
Barrier Packed products contain cups or pouches inside of a medical grade Tyvek bag. This saves labor by eliminating the need to wash individual cups or pouches.

How are ClearH2O gels sterilized?
ClearH2O gel products are pasteurized at high temperature (190°F or 87°C) during the manufacturing process. Most of the 2 oz. cup products are then wrapped in Tyvek® medical packaging and boxed before being E-beam irradiated at 10 kGy.  Verification of commercial sterility occurs with each lot of product being tested by an independent laboratory for microbiological analysis and documented on Certificates of Analysis, which are available online.

Why are gel products a good choice for research animals?
Unlike water bottles and mash diets, gels provide a consistent amount of hydration, nutrition and medication without wetting the animal. While particularly useful when transporting animals, HydroGel® is also a great choice for recovering animals and special needs animals who require consistent, easy-to-consume hydration support. 

Can you provide an MSDS for ClearH2O products?
The hydration and nutritional gel products sold by ClearH2O are not considered hazardous chemicals under the US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Communication Standard (29CFR 1910.1200). These products are under the umbrella of MSDS Exemption Reference for Food Manufacturers section 1910.1200(b)(5)(iii) – Any food, food additive, color additive, drug, cosmetic, or medical or veterinary device or product, including materials intended for use as ingredients in such products (e.g. flavors and fragrances), as such terms are defined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) or the Virus-Serum­Toxin Act of 1913 (21 U.S.C. 151 et seq.), and regulations issued under those Acts, when they are subject to the labeling requirements under those Acts by either the Food and Drug Administration or the Department  of Agriculture.  Accordingly, Material Safety Data Sheets are not required or necessary for these products.

How much HydroGel® do I need to supply for an animal during shipment?
The amount of HydroGel® required is dependent on the species of animal, the number of days in transit, and the number of animals. Daily water consumption differs by animal. Many factors such as ambient temperature, animal weight and environmental conditions impact the daily water consumption. The suggested values listed below are average daily water consumption guidelines for frequently shipped animals. HydroGel® is 98% pure water; therefore the gel consumption is equivalent to water consumption. 

• Mouse: 4-7g
• Rat: 24-60g
• Guinea Pig: 50-80g
• Rabbit: 100-600G

What is the best way to store HydroGel®  products?
Unopened, HydroGel®  can be stored at room temperature and does not require special handling. Shelf life for unopened HydroGel® is 24 months.
Once opened (provided the gel has not been contaminated) ClearH2O products can be stored either at room temperature or at 4°C in a sealed bag/container to prevent the product from drying out for approximately 2 weeks.

What if my rats eat the plastic cup?
ClearH2O cups comply with FDA regulations for food contact and do not contain heavy metals, chemicals or known allergens.  The plastic is non-toxic and BPA free and harmless to the animal if it’s consumed or chewed.