Graham Packaging introduces Monosorb(TM) PET barrier bottles with new oxygen scavenger
23-Jun-2003
Graham Packaging Company, L.P., has begun supplying single-serve PET (polyethylene terephthalate) Monosorb(TM) barrier bottles for fruit juices and other oxygen-sensitive drinks. Monosorb(TM) bottles are made from a resin blended with a modified formulation of BP's Amosorb(R) DFC additive.
"This development now makes it possible for oxygen-sensitive beverage products to be packed in mono-layer barrier containers," said George A. Peterson, a business director in Graham Packaging's food & Beverage Business Unit. "Monosorb(TM) bottles enlarge and enhance our existing arsenal of barrier technologies and allow us to be even more flexible in how we respond in meeting varying customer needs."
Graham Packaging worked with BP over the last two years to modify the formulation of its Amosorb(R) DFC oxygen scavenger for mono-layer PET. "The result of this collaborative research and development effort is a new mono- layer technology, which, when blended into a single layer of PET, creates a barrier that protects oxygen-sensitive beverages such as fruit juices," Peterson said.
Unlike other barrier technologies, which involve adding a coating or creating multiple layers, the barrier in Graham Packaging's Monosorb(TM) bottle is achieved by blending Amosorb(R) DFC into the PET resin immediately prior to molding using Graham Packaging's proprietary process.
Peterson said the barrier level in Monosorb(TM) bottles can be metered by percentage to customize protection on an as-needed basis. For certain products with extreme sensitivity to oxygen, Graham Packaging's Monosorb(TM) technology can be supplemented with coating technologies, creating yet another barrier option.
"We see an important continuing role for other barrier technologies, such as coatings and multi-layers, but this new Monosorb(TM) technology provides the kind of simple, cost-effective approach that many mainstream beverage makers have been seeking," Peterson said.
-- Apple & Eve, of Port Washington, New York, one of the largest
independently owned juice companies in the U.S., has begun
using 10-ounce Monosorb(TM) bottles for its juice products.
-- Bolthouse Farms, based in Bakersfield, California, has begun using Monosorb(TM) bottles for its premium juices.
-- mercury Group, L.L.C., of Wilton, Connecticut, is using 7.9-ounce wide-mouth hot-fill Monosorb(TM) bottles for its Mercury sports energy drink.
-- Tropicana Products, Inc., a division of PepsiCo based in Bradenton, Florida, will introduce its Tropicana fruit juices in Monosorb(TM) bottles later this summer.
"The introduction of Monosorb(TM) bottles is another demonstration of Graham Packaging's ongoing commitment to developing leading-edge technology that not only answers but also anticipates the needs of the marketplace," Peterson said.
"We're excited about the Monosorb(TM) technology," Gordon Crane, president of Apple & Eve, said. "It will help to ensure the highest standards of freshness, flavor, and color in our pure juice products."
Monosorb(TM) bottles can be recycled the same way as any other PET container and can be re-used for food-grade packaging. BP's Amosorb(R) DFC additive has received the Champions for Change Award from the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers.
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