Subject:  Initial tests of  the performance of Cryopak mat refrigerant in
insulated shipping boxes (April 1987)

Submitted to:     Mr. Leigh Jeffs, Cryopak Corporation, #1120-625
Howe Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Submitted by: I.J. Britt,  P.Eng. and G.F.  Morello,  B.Sc.,  Department of Food
Science, University of British Columbia. #2482357 Main Mail, Vancouver, B.C.

Objective:  This study was initiated to perform initial experiments to determine
the effectiveness of two packing  configurations of Cryopak matting  refrigerant
in 50 pound insulated salmon shipping boxes and compare it to an equivalent mass
of gel-pack refrigerant.

Test Procedures: Two experiments were performed using Cryopak mat (1 lb mat with
6ml pillows) and one using gel-packs.  Two packing  configurations were used for
the Cryopak mat, 7.5 lb of mat in 3 layers at the top of the box and 7.5 lb in a
single layer completely lining the inside surface of the box. The gelpack,  five
1.5 lb bricks,  was placed in the four  corners and the centre at the top of the
box. The  corrugated  paperboard  box was  approximately  18 X 29 X 8 inches and
lined  with 0.25 inch  thick R-15  insulation.  A plastic  tote liner was placed
inside the box prior to packing.

Temperatures were measured using copper/constantan  thermocouples (type TT-T-24,
Omega  Engineering  Inc.,  Stamford,   CT)  with  fused  sensing  junctions  and
calibrated against a Kaye Icepoint  ,Reference (Kaye Instruments Inc.,  Bedford,
XA). Temperature  measurements were recorded on a Kaye Ramp II Scanner/Processor
data logger and stored on digital tape (Columbia  Data Products Inc.,  Columbia,
MD) for subsequent computer analyses.

Six  thermocouples  were  attached to the outer  surfaces of the box and 11 were
attached  to the  surfaces  of the  fish as  shown  in  figure  I and 2. In each
experiment 14 dressed.  whole spring salmon weighing a total of approximately 50
lb were used. The fish were chilled in a brine slush to lower their  temperature
to a target  of 28  degrees  F, then  placed in the test box with tail  sections
overlapping and heads orientated towards the ends of the box. The ice packs were
frozen for a minimum of 24 hours in a minus 15 degree F walk-in freezer pricr to
being placed in the box. After closing, the box was exposed on all surfaces in a
room exhibiting relatively constant temperature histories.  The experiments were
terminated after the surface temperature of the fish exceeded 42 degrees F.

<PAGE>

Test Results:  Two criteria were chosen to evaluate the treatments:  1) the time
until the mean temperature of the fish, as sensed by the thermocouples  attached
to their  surface,  exceeded  40  degrees  F. and 2) the time until one of those
temperatures  exceeded  40  degrees F. The  results  together  with the  ambient
temperature  are presented in Table 1. An analysis of variance of the results of
each experiment was performed to substantiate  whether there was a statistically
significant difference amongst the treatments. Data recorded at 470, 480 and 490
minutes were pooled for each treatment and compared,  Treatment 3, the box lined
with Cryopak mat, was significantly (p<0.05) different from Treatment 1, Cryopak
mat on top of the  product,  and  Treatment  2,  gel-pack on top of the product,
Treatments 1 and 2 were not  significantly  different  (p<0.05).  These  results
indicate that the best results were achieved by lining the box with Cryopak mat.


<TABLE>
     Table 1: Summary of Experimental Results of Fish Surface Temperatures
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>

Treatment         Time Until Mean           Time Until One             Mean Ambient
                  Temperature >40F          Temperature >40F           Temperature
                  (min)                     (min)                      (degrees F)
---------         -----                     -----                      -----------
<S>               <C>                       <C>                        <C>
Cryopak on        880                       350                        71.5
top
Gel-pak on        860                       250                        71.3
top
Cryopak           1170                      950                        73.6
</TABLE>

A divided listing of the experimental results showing the individual temperature
readings and the mean and  standard  deviation of the readings at each time step
are appended. Ore thermocouple on the fish surface malfunctioned and was deleted
from the analyses.  Thermocouple Number 7 in the output cf surface  temperatures
was a measurement of the ambient temperature.

<PAGE>

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o        x9                x1               x7                 o
o                                                              o
o                                                              o
o x3                       x 5, 6                          x 4 o
o                                                              o
o                                                              o
o        x 10              x 2, 8                              o
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

                  Plan View
                  ---------

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o                          x6                                  o
o x3         x 9, 10       x8               x7              x4 o
o                                                              o
o                          x 1, 2                              o
o                          x5                                  o
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

                  Front Elevation
                  ---------------

Figure 2: Location of thermocouples on the surfaces of the fish.



<PAGE>


                                             CRYOPAK UBC TEST RESULTS
                                             Fish Surface Temperatures

M  55
e
a  50                                                               G
n                                                  G
   45                            G
T                   G                                               C
e  40                                                          C
m             G                                        C
p  35   C  G                              C
e          C  C  C    C
r  30   G
a
t  25
u
r       -------------------------------------------------------------
e       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

C Cryopak
G Gel-Pak


<PAGE>