Homemade Gel and Bacteria

Not sure if this will work but how about canning it in small jelly jars, then you open only a little at a time.

vio765 said:

Im working on making my own energy gel this season. I am not 100% with the recipe yet, but im pretty close. My recipe calls for a 4:1 ratio of CHO and PRO. I am interested in making batches ranging from 16-32oz. This amount will last me a couple of months. But the question is will if I store it in an airtight container in the refridgerator, will it keep for a couple of months? To me, it seems like opening the container to fill my gel flask every few days would bring in bacteria from the air. Air+sugar+protein seems to be an ideal place for bacteria to breed. Is my storage method good or what? I have thought about making smaller batches, but making this stuff is a pain to me.

What about using a twist top squirty bottle of some sort (like a mustard or ketchup bottle) then all you have to do is squeeze it to fill your gel flask.

vio765 said:

Im working on making my own energy gel this season. I am not 100% with the recipe yet, but im pretty close. My recipe calls for a 4:1 ratio of CHO and PRO. I am interested in making batches ranging from 16-32oz. This amount will last me a couple of months. But the question is will if I store it in an airtight container in the refridgerator, will it keep for a couple of months? To me, it seems like opening the container to fill my gel flask every few days would bring in bacteria from the air. Air+sugar+protein seems to be an ideal place for bacteria to breed. Is my storage method good or what? I have thought about making smaller batches, but making this stuff is a pain to me.

There are two types of bacteria you are concerned with...spoilage and pathogenic. From a pathogenic (make you sick) perspective, the bacteria will need more than just sugar to grow/reproduce. They will need a certain amount of water. If you are making a gel I would be fairly confident that the available water to grow pathogenic bacteria is too low for this to happen. So you could really leave it out at room temperature and it wouldn't make you sick.

However, from a spoilage bacteria perspective, they will likely grow/reproduce and eventually spoil the homemade gel. Keeping the gel in the reefer slows this process. How long it will take will depend on numerous factors. You will most likely know when it spoils and you won't want to consume it anymore.

Why the difference between the two types? There are a lot more spoilage bacteria than there are pathogenic. Most pathogenic types have been well studied from a food safety standpoint so we know more about them.

Bottom line is that if it truly is a gel then it should be safe for a long time in the fridge, assuming it was safely made in your kitchen.