New PET multilayer food jar

21-Feb-08

The first of its kind, clear PET (polyethylene terephthalate) multilayer plastic jar with a wide-mouth finish and barrier properties suitable for hot-packed food products such as pasta sauces, salsas, fruits, and other popular hot-fill products has been developed by Graham Packaging Company, L.P. These products were previously available only in glass because of the need to prevent oxygen ingress. The new container also works well in protecting dry-packed or cold-processed products that are oxygen sensitive. The new multilayer design allows us to provide the lightest-weight jar that enables the longest shelf life. The container increases shelf life beyond 12 months, up to 18 months with certain products. The package combines two proprietary technologies: Graham Packaging's SurShot(TM) multilayer technology and the company's jar blow-molding technology, both employed in the packaging industry for more than 10 years. A combination of these two technologies yields long shelf life and good aesthetics at an affordable cost. The containers can be designed in most configurations, including round, square, rectangular, and specialty shapes, with wide-mouth finishes up to 82 millimeters. The PET jars can be hot-filled in a temperature range of 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. The five-layer container ranks high in sustainability. A filler could realize an 87% weight reduction on an order of 50 million jars annually compared to glass. That would eliminate the equivalent of 962 truckloads per year at an annual savings of close to US$700000. The container includes post- consumer and post-industrial recycled materials, and the oxygen barrier material can be separated from the PET in the recycling process and taken out of the recycling stream. The SurShot(TM) multilayer barrier system has been recognized as recyclable by PET Container Recycling Europe (PETCORE).