Is PET Plastic Safe? Uncover the Preferred Materials for Food Grade Packaging

More than 500 billion PET plastic bottles are consumed worldwide every year. They are safe, portable and recyclable, but few people really understand this kind of material that gets along with us day and night.

In today's era of pursuing health and sustainability, the safety of plastic packaging has become the common focus of consumers and brands. As a leader in the packaging industry, we are well aware of the importance you attach to product safety. When you choose a custom plastic bottle, it is important to understand the nature of the material.

PET (polyethylene terephthalate), this seemingly ordinary plastic material, carries the heavy responsibility of global food and beverage packaging. From high-end mineral water bottles to pharmaceutical containers, from edible oil packaging to cosmetic bottles and cans, PET has become the preferred material for customized packaging solutions with its excellent safety performance and environmental protection characteristics.

01 What is PET Plastic?

PET，Its full name is polyethylene terephthalate, and its chemical name is polyethylene terephthalate, usually referred to as polyester. This kind of high molecular polymer has already become the pillar material of the global packaging industry.

From the perspective of chemical structure, pet macromolecules contain aliphatic groups, which make them have certain hydrophilicity, which is particularly important in production and processing. In the packaging industry, gf-pet (glass fiber reinforced polyester) is the most commonly used, which is mainly used to manufacture bottle embryos of various specifications.

When you hold a transparent and lightweight beverage bottle, you are holding PET material. This material has good rheological properties in the molten state, and its viscosity is affected by pressure more than temperature. This means that in the production process, engineers optimize the melt fluidity mainly by adjusting the pressure rather than the temperature, so as to ensure the stability of product quality.

It is noteworthy that the glass transition temperature of pet is about 165 ℃, and the crystallization temperature of pet is between 120 ℃ and 220 ℃. This thermal performance feature directly affects the setting of production process parameters, and is also one of the key factors to ensure product safety.

02 Safety Options: Application of PET Plastics in Food Packaging

PET plastic does not contain harmful substances such as phthalates and bisphenol A, which makes it widely recognized as food contact grade safety materials worldwide. Today, when food safety is crucial, pet has become the main force of food and beverage packaging. You can see PET packaging in mineral water, carbonated drinks, edible oil and condiments.

PET material has excellent barrier performance, which can effectively block the penetration of gas, steam, grease and odor. This feature ensures that the contents of the package remain fresh, prevents external pollutants from entering, and prevents the aroma of the contents from volatilizing and escaping.

For food packaging, pet has a transparency of more than 90%, which is not only beautiful, but also allows consumers to clearly see the content status. Its natural ability to block ultraviolet rays also provides additional protection for light sensitive products.

The safety of pet as a food contact material has been recognized by FDA, the European food safety agency and other global authorities. When you choose a pet custom bottle, you choose a globally recognized safety standard.

03 Five Core Advantages: Why Choose PET Plastics

>Excellent mechanical properties

The impact strength of PET plastic bottle is 3-5 times that of other film materials, and the folding resistance is excellent. This means that PET packaging is not easy to be damaged during transportation and use, providing reliable protection for your products. At the same time, PET material has high surface hardness, abrasion resistance and can withstand certain external impact.

>Strong chemical stability

PET material is resistant to oil, fat, dilute acid and alkali, and has good resistance to most solvents. This feature makes pet an ideal packaging choice for edible oil, cosmetics, detergents and other products. Its chemical corrosion resistance ensures that the package will not have adverse reactions with its contents.

>High health and safety

PET itself is non-toxic and tasteless, meeting the hygienic requirements of food grade packaging. In the production process, PET plastic does not add harmful additives, and can directly contact with food and drugs, providing protection for consumers' health.

>Environment friendly and recyclable

PET is one of the materials with the highest recovery rate in plastics, which can realize "bottle to bottle" closed-loop recycling. Compared with other plastics, PET recycling process is mature and has high recycling value, which is in line with the environmental protection concept of today's circular economy.

>Lightweight and economy

PET material has high strength, which can realize thin-walled design, reduce packaging weight and transportation cost. The price of raw materials and production energy consumption are relatively low, providing brands with cost-effective packaging solutions.

04 Transparent Comparison: Performance Difference Between PET and Other Plastics

Common packaging plastics in the market include PET, PP, PE, etc. Understanding the differences of these materials will help you make more informed choices.

Compared with PP, the tensile strength of pet is 2-3 times that of PP, and the aging resistance is 4 times that of PP. This means that PET packaging has a longer service life and is not easy to embrittle and deteriorate over time. The transparency and gloss of PET are also better than that of PP, making the appearance of the product more attractive.

Compared with PE, pet has higher stiffness and shape retention, and is not easy to deform. The gas barrier property of pet is much better than that of PE, and it is more suitable for carbonated drinks and other products that need gas preservation. The softness of PE is more suitable for manufacturing extrusion bottles and other special packaging forms.

In terms of recycling, the recycling path of pet is more clear and efficient. After recycling PET bottles, food grade recycling can be realized through advanced cleaning, sorting and granulation processes ("bottle to bottle" recycling), while PE recycling is mostly used for degradation applications.

The transparency, strength and recyclability of pet make it stand out in the packaging field and become the first choice for brands and consumers.

05 Precision Manufacturing: Key Points of PET Plastic Bottle Production Process

The production of high-quality PET plastic bottles requires professional technology and strict process control. As an expert in the production of customized plastic bottles, we strictly control every production link.

Raw material treatment is the primary key. PET pellets are extremely sensitive to moisture at high temperatures, and must be fully dried before processing. It is usually dried at 150 ℃ for more than 4 hours, or at 170 ℃ for 3-4 hours. Excessive moisture will lead to the decrease of molecular weight of pet and the brittleness and discoloration of products.

In the injection molding stage, the melt temperature is controlled between 270-295 ℃ and 290-315 ℃ for reinforced gf-pet. The injection speed should be fast, usually completed within 4 seconds to prevent premature solidification.

Die design is also critical. We use the hot runner mold system, and a 12mm thick heat shield is set between the mold and the injection molding machine template. The exhaust system is carefully designed to ensure adequate exhaust and avoid flash.

In terms of quality control, we follow the principle of "shortest residence time" to avoid the molecular weight reduction caused by the material staying at high temperature for too long. At the same time, the proportion of recycled materials shall be strictly controlled to not exceed 25%, and the recycled materials shall be thoroughly dried.

06 Green Recycling: Environmental Protection Value and Recycling of PET Plastics

Today, when sustainable development has become a global consensus, PET plastics show excellent environmental protection characteristics. PET is one of the plastics with the highest recovery rate, and its recycling technology has been quite mature.

The advanced "bottle to bottle" food grade recycling is a model of PET circular economy. Waste PET bottles can be regenerated through the processes of crushing, cleaning, dehydration, drying, sorting and granulation. This process removes pollutants and increases viscosity, making recycled PET (RPET) meet food grade safety standards.

For each ton of PET bottle chip recovered, 1.871 tons of CO ɑ emissions can be reduced and 6 tons of oil resources can be saved. If the global recycling volume of waste PET increases to 10million tons per year, it is equivalent to increasing the carbon absorption capacity of 660000 hectares of forest.

We actively respond to the trend of environmental protection and integrate recycled PET materials into the production of customized bottles. Coca Cola and other international brands have taken the lead in launching new PET bottles containing some plant-based raw materials, and plan to produce them on a large scale. This proves that PET materials have broad prospects in the field of sustainable packaging.

07 Customization Expert: PET Packaging Solution Customized for You

As a professional supplier in the field of PET packaging customization, we have a deep understanding of the packaging needs of different industries. Whether it is food and beverage, personal care, medical health or household products, we can provide safe and reliable PET packaging solutions.

We have advanced pet injection molding production line and professional technical team, and strictly follow ISO quality management system and food grade production standards. From the purchase of raw materials to the delivery of finished products, each link is closely monitored to ensure the safety and reliability of products.

In terms of customized services, we provide:

      · Diversified bottle type design: customized bottle types with different capacities from 15ml to 5L

      · Professional function adaptation: tamper resistant bottle cap, UV resistant bottle body, anti slip lines and other special functions

      · Surface treatment process: silk screen printing, bronzing, labeling and other surface decoration options

      · Environmental protection plan: food grade recycled PET application to help the brand achieve sustainable goals

We recommend that customers fully consider product characteristics, filling process, storage conditions, brand positioning and other factors when selecting pet customized bottles. Our team of engineers will provide you with professional advice to optimize the packaging design and balance functionality, aesthetics and cost-effectiveness.

With the increasing global concern about plastic pollution, PET has become the preferred material for sustainable packaging due to its high recovery rate and high recycling value. From food grade recycling to plant-based pet innovation, this multifunctional material is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the environmental protection era.

When you choose a PET customized bottle, you choose not only a packaging container, but also a guarantee of product quality, a commitment to consumer health and a responsibility for the future of the planet. Let's work together to add value to your brand with safe and reliable PET packaging.