Posted on 07/02/2018 11:21:04 AM PDT by Simon Green
Europe is the midst of a severe CO2 (carbon dioxide) shortage. One result is a shortage of dry ice, which impacts an airlines’ ability to offer ice cream onboard. Now, airlines like United have been forced to suspend ice cream sundae service on flights out of London.
Without getting too technical or boring you to death, most CO2 used for food-processing is created in ammonia plants in Europe. These plants are predominantly in the United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands and France. The biggest use for CO2 is in fertilizers, with demand peaking during the cooler months. Consequently, many plants shut down for maintenance during this time to prepare for the “busy season.”
But that creates a problem for meat, soft drink and dry ice manufacturers, since their demand is highest during the summer months. With so many plants currently offline, some beer and soft drink manufactures have been forced to slow production. Meanwhile, dry ice has become an increasingly scarcer commodity.
United business class passengers are receiving the following emails prior to their flights:
Unfortunately, because of a break in the system that produces dry ice throughout Europe, we will not have it available to keep the ice cream cold on your flight. As a result, we will be serving another dessert option for you to enjoy. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this might cause and we look forward to seeing you onboard.
Thus far, the substitute dessert has usually been a chocolate mousse.
First the Enviro Nazis took aerosol deodorants from us, at the point of a gun, now they’re taking the ice cream.
Now under Sharia Law shortages like this would not happen (smirk).
Severe CO2 (carbon dioxide) shortage, must be a joke but it can’t be the Global Warming people
I suppose I could live off chocolate mousse If I had to.
As long as we have enough Fuel for the flight.
Why the heck don’t these airlines cut ice from frozen lakes, bury them in sawdust and store them in barns? the ice seemingly lasts for-ever! It works for the Amish!
LOL! You’re right; First World Problems, indeed!
Maybe you’re joking...dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide...colder than water ice.
“Severe CO2 (carbon dioxide) shortage, must be a joke but it can’t be the Global Warming people.”
The jokes practically write themselves. And God laughs.
I have a first world problem every time I look in the frig, freezer and pantry. I can’t decide what to eat.
Not honey roasted peanuts or ice cream but you still get felt up by the TSA.
This would indeed be a luxury problem for me - I don’t like chocolate moose, so I would need the ice cream.
Water ice is heavier than dry ice, and when it melts the water has to be dealt with. When dry ice melts, the byproduct is easy to handle.
Don’t try your luck on Russian airlines. Back in the day, little 80 year old grandma’s would drive the fuel truck out to your plane and climb on the wing with the hose. No gauges so they’d have to peek in the hole to see if they needed pump more. Peek - pump more - peek - pump more. I’m not joking. Every one I saw was ancient and could barely get around. Why didn’t they hire 20 somethings? Who knows, it was Russia.
CO2 is used as fertilizer???
Technically, dry ice doesn’t melt, in the sense that it moves from solid to liquid. It sublimates, going directly from solid to gas.
Kind of like Al Gore ... if you consider blubber a solid.
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