CO2 hydrate desserts are carbonated frozen desserts in which the CO2 is trapped in a crystalline water-carbon dioxide structure called a CO2 clathrate hydrate. The CO2 concentration of the dessert enables strong perception of carbonation, but CO2 hydrate dissociation during heat shock can cause high package pressures during storage and distribution. In this work, a model is developed for package pressure as a function of temperature, CO2 content, package volume, dessert mass, and recipe. The model is validated by comparison with an experimental measurement of the pressure and mass of a CO2 hydrate dessert subjected to heat shock. It is shown that during heat shock a sealed package can reach pressures greater than the ice-CO2 hydrate equilibrium pressure. At pressures above the ice-CO2 hydrate equilibrium pressure, the fraction of water crystallized in the dessert can be increased, potentially mitigating heat shock damage. (c) 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012