THE PLASTIC BOTTLES IN DRINKING WATER PACKAGING

Hung Le, CPP

ABSTRACT

In the bottled water industry, the quality of the product container is second only to the
quality of its contents. To ensure the container integrity, the packaging specialist should
know about the quality issues at the bottle manufacturers facility and at the water bottling
plant.

The three most common plastic water bottles are made from polycarbonate (PC), highdensity polyethylene (HDPE), and polyethylene terephthahate (PET) polymers. The PC
bottle is returnable, while the HDPE and PET bottles are single service containers. These
plastic containers are blow-molded. The complexity of the molding operation requires the
development and implementation of a good preventative maintenance program by the
bottle manufacturer. The aesthetic standards of the container demands a strong assurance
program from the water bottling facility (the end user). This paper discusses the quality
concerns at both locations.

INTRODUCTION
The drinking water bottles come in many shapes and sizes. Each bottle application has its own
quality issues, such as; bottle preparation before bottling, the packaging of finished products, and
its distribution system.
The polycarbonate bottle has blemishes on its walls because of the variations in production
processes. It also demands a careful sanitizing procedure at the bottling plant in order to be fit for
reuse. A high density polyethylene bottle sometimes imparts a taste and/or odor to the water and
its spout may not always fit the cap, causing slow leakage in storage. The polyethylene
terephthalate bottle demands its storage away from heat; an empty bottle could be deformed
when stored at temperatures near 71C (160F); the full bottle could consign a fruity taste to its
water content if kept in elevated temperatures.

POLYCARBONATE (PC) WATER BOTTLES

Polycarbonate has high light-transmittance (88-91% as compared to 92% for clear plate glass)
and high resistance to stains by tea, coffee, lipstick, inks, soap, detergent, and many other
household materials. Its relatively dense composition makes it resistant to odors, and its hard,
smooth surface facilitates easy removal of foodstuffs (Milhalick and Baccaro, 1986). For these
advantages, PC is the material of choice for returnable bottles.

Common bottle sizes are 3 and 5 gallons. The rectangular 3-gallon, an exclusive bottle
design of McKesson Water Products Company, is stackable.

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Interlocking grooves on the sides allow the user to side-stack five 3-gallon bottles
vertically to save space. These bottles, which have identical non threaded finishes, are
sealed by press-on polyethylene caps. The 5-gallon round bottles is the basic bottle for
the water bottling industry.
Another popular PC bottle group includes bottles which are available for sale to
consumers at water-vending machine locations. These bottles are designed with built-in
handle, screw cap, and dispensing valve. Available sizes are 1, 2, 3, and 5 gallons. The
rectangular 2-gallon container with its dispensing valve is a popular portable container.
The 3 and 5-gallon round bottles have integral handles and softer rib design to simplify
handling.
The two most important quality requirements for the returnable bottles are aesthetic and
sanitary conditions.

Aesthetic Conditions
To optimize the bottle appearance, emphasis on the handling of the raw resin and the
regrind is essential. PC resin will absorb moisture upon exposure to the air. To prevent
silvery streaks, chicken tracks, or air bubbles, the resin feed stock has to be dried to the
manufacturers specification. Regrind, the reusable plastic which is obtained from the
trimming of the flash from the pinch-off, handle, and neck finish areas, should also be
kept dry.

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Both resin and regrind have to be processed within 20 minutes to be effective. When using
regrind in processing, the maximum allowable ratio should not be more than 30 percent regrind
to 70 percent virgin resin (General Electric, 1992).

The manual trimming (around the spout and along the mold line) and the logo silk- screening (on
the side wall) should be done carefully.

Silk Screen Processing: Decorating process employing screen stencils. Silk screens were actually
once used in the methodology, hence, the name commonly used for the process. Now, however,
the process uses stencil screens of various materials-especially fine wire mesh (The Packaging
Institute International, 1988).

Blemishes are not permitted on the sealing surface of the bottle spout to prevent leakage when
full bottles are stored (3 and 5 gallon bottles are stored sideways). A smooth spout helps the
press-on cap to seal properly.

Delamination, degradation, and weak spots can be prevented by periodic cleaning of the blow
molding machine and mold (General Electric, 1990).
In the rectangular 2 and 3 gallon bottles, where thin wall corners are a problem, the machines
mold vent should be clean at all times. An unobstructed vent will permit uniform plastic stretch
at the bottle corners during blow molding.

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Sanitary Condition
To satisfy the federal Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) requirement for a food product, all
good manufacturing practices outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations have to be followed.
The returnable bottles have to be cleaned and sanitized before the drinking water is bottled.

Bottles returned to the bottling plant are sorted before entering the washer. Only the serviceable
ones are reused. Others, with physical damages or hardened foreign matter adhering to bottle
walls, are discarded to the recycling center. Inspections are performed at both ends of the washer.

At the entrance, an electronic vision system and inspection personnel examine both the interior
and exterior bottle walls for any foreign matter. While the electronic sniffer detects bottles
which were contaminated with hydrocarbons (gasoline or petroleum products), alcohol, or
nitrogen-based contaminants (ammonia or solvents. On the exit side of the washer, the vision
system and the inspection personnel again scrutinize the bottles before allowing them to enter the
bottling room. Daily calibration of all inspection instruments is necessary to ensure a constant
supply of clean, sanitized bottles.

At the bottle washer, washing solutions from 49C (120F) to 60C (140F) contact the bottles for
five minutes. Although this high temperature is required for effective cleaning, it will

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shorten the bottles life. Tests show that continuous exposure in hot 65C (149F) water causes
gradual embrittlement in PC bottles (Machine Design, 1991). Hourly verification of the washer
solutions temperature, therefore, is essential during bottling. Beside the temperature, the
concentration of the cleaner and sanitizer solutions are also tested hourly (bottles are washed
with the cleaning solution first, then rinsed with the sanitizer) to insure a thorough washing
cycle.

Container and closure bacteriological tests are conducted quarterly to verify the clean, sanitized
condition of the washed bottles and their caps. Randomly selected bottles and caps are rinsed
with sterile water. A measured sample of this solution is tested for the presence of bacteria.

Packaging the PC Water Bottles

The filled PC water bottles are packaged by two methods: crate and rack systems. In the crate
system, bottles enter the bottling room in their individual plastic crates. The crated full bottles
are stacked sideways onto wood pallets for transport. A standard load is a 30-crate bottle pallet
(two rows of five-crates high, three-crates wide). The polyvinyl crate is designed to cradle the
bottle throughout the distribution cycle. The bottle separates from its crate during two occasions:
in the washing operation and in the dispensing mode when the bottle is installed onto the water
cooler. Crates require maintenance and inspection on the return trip and they occupy additional
space in transport and in storage. As a result, modern bottling plants are converting to the rack
system.

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In the rack system, bottles are filled without crates, then inserted into metal racks for distribution.
A standard size rack carries 30 bottles in the same side-stacking arrangement as in a full pallet of
crated bottles. The rack system eliminates the need for plastic crates and simplifies handling.
However, a glossy and durable coating will be required and maintained on the racks supporting
bars to reduce scratches on the bottles and to withstand the outdoor exposure. Caring for the
racks includes special truckbeds to protect the rack and the periodic checking for the racks
structural integrity.

HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (HDPE) WATER BOTTLE

The bottle made of FDA approved food-grade HDPE is the lowest cost compared to PET and PC
bottles. The common sizes are 1 and 2.5-gallon bottles. The rectangular 2.5-gallon bottle has a
built-in handle and a dispensing valve. The 1-gallon bottles are available in two configurations,
the milk-jug and the high profile bottle.

Three quality issues of HDPE bottles are: the taste problem, the fitting of the cap, and inadequate
bottle strength during storage.

The Taste Problem

A plastic-like taste from water bottled in a HOPE bottle could be a result of one or more of the
following causes:
* Bottles stored longer than one year
*Bottles stored in temperatures higher than 490 (120F) for more than 72 hours

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*Contaminated air supply to the blow molding machine or high melting temperature greater
than 2040 (400F) (Solvay, 1992)
*Short machine cycle time, less than 8 seconds in 4-head machine, less than 9 seconds
in 6-head machine (Paxon, 1993)
*Presence of high level of oxidation products - aldehydes, ketones, and acids inside
process stream during production of raw HOPE resin (Phillips 66 Company, 1993)

To quantify the plastic taste from HDPE bottles, a taste test is periodically conducted. The taste
intensity of HDPE bottles depends on the quality of the blow molding process and is also
impacted by any adverse storage conditions.

A fresh-made bottle with a strong taste, is often an indication of a need to verify the
molding machines operating parameters or the processing history of the related resin
batch.

The Taste Test

Slowly heat the HDPE water bottles in an incubator at 49C (120F) for 72 hours then cool
them to room temperature before taste test.
Pair-comparison test (Zeccardi, 1988): water sample is submitted to members of a panel

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in sample pairs. One sample is identified to each panelist as the control, the other is the test
sample. The panelist is asked to judge and record the difference on a scale of differences (such as
no difference, slight difference, pronounced difference). Some of the pairs have no difference,
i.e., both are controls.

The ranking test is also employed to compare the taste quality of different bottle batches. In this
test, coded samples are submitted to each panelist, who is asked to rank them in the order of
concentration.

Resin producers are continuing to search for a solution to the odor and plastic taste problems
associated with HDPE. A recent study by Hoffman-La Roche, Nutley, New Jersey (Food
Engineering, 1993) confirmed alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) had shown lower migration
characteristics than other plastic stabilizers used in HDPE resin manufacturing, thus lowering the
plastic odor intensity of water bottled in HDPE containers. Application of the vitamin Estabilized bottle is now being studied by many bottled water companies.

Strong odors in storage areas also affect the taste of drinking water HDPE bottles. Since the gasbarrier properties of this plastic are relatively poor (Smith, 1986), an HDPE water bottle if stored
near high-odor substances (moth balls, bleach, perfume, petroleum products...) in an inadequate
ventilation area for longer than 72 hours, will allow migration of the odor (s) to its water content.

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Cap Fitting Problem
Friction press-on closures are used in the 1-gallon and in the 2.5-gallon bottles. To seal
properly, both the tear-band cap of the 1-gallon and the push-pull dispensing valve of the
2.5 gallon depend on the quality of the bottle spout finish, its smoothness and roundness.

HDPE bottles have a tendency to shrink. The bottle capacity decreases most rapidly in the first
minutes following molding, then continues to decline with time. Higher bottle storage
temperatures cause a greater rate of bottle shrinkage. After 10 days in storage, an 1-gallon bottle
decreased 2% of its capacity when stored at 49C (120F); another bottle from the same batch
decreased only 1.2% of its capacity when stored at a lower temperature of 23C (73F) (Phillips 66
Company, 1978). Although the shrinkage is marginal, when combined with the neck warpage
this could cause the cap to leak. Slight increase in the blow time and blow pressure will correct
the capacity deficiency and prevent the neck warpage (Phillips 66 Company, 1978; Solvay,
1992).

The milk-jug 1-gallon bottle has a threading finish and utilizes a threaded plastic cap with
polyethylene-foam liner. The cap is a mechanical break-away type with perforations along the
lower part of the skirt which form a breakline in the closure (Nairn, et al., 1986). To seal well,
the cap demands a smooth bottle spout and a correct application torque. Excessive application
torque from the capper will damage the flatness of the bottles sealing surface or that of the liner,
causing leakage.

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Thus, a preventive maintenance program to ensure a consistent application torque for the capper
is necessary in the HOPE bottling operation.

Packaging the HDPE Water Bottles

HDPE bottles are packaged in corrugated boxes for distribution. Typical package sizes are a box
of six bottles (1-gallon) or a box of two bottles (2.5-gallon). The boxes are stacked in three layers
on a wood pallet then stretch-wrapped for transporting.

Full pallets are stacked two-high in the warehouse. This stacking arrangement is a cost-effective
practice in warehousing the bottled water boxes. Field tests showed that the thickness of the
boxes, especially for the 2.5-gallon water bottles, could be minimized without sacrificing the
package integrity, provided the pallets are not stacked more than two high. Although the low
stacking requires more space, the saving from using a lighter box is justified. It is also essential
that HDPE water bottles are not stored longer than 90 days and that the stock be rotated
regularly.

POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHLATE (PET) WATER BOTTLES

The PET bottle exceeds the HDPE bottle in strength, toughness, and clarity. Filled
1.5-liter bottles dropped on concrete from a height of 6 feet have a survival rate greater than 97
percent (Hanlon, 1992). The toughness of PET also allows production of bottles with a wall
thickness ranging from 0.010 to 0.020 inches.

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PET water bottles are designed for portability, with gripping ribs on the bottles lower portion
reducing slippage. Popular sizes are 0.5, 1, and 1.5-liters (16.9, 33.8 and 50.7 fluid ounces
respectively).

Quality Concerns
Disadvantages of PET water bottles are shrinkage and taste problems. The empty bottle shrinks
if exposed to a temperature around 900 (19SF) (Hanlon, 1992).
At the modular facility, monitor the molds temperature settings to achieve good bottle
perpendicularity and wall thickness distribution.

At the bottling plant, new bottles should be stored away from heat generating sources and
sunlight. Acetaldehyde, which is found in trace amounts in PET bottles after production, affects
the taste of the water content especially when the bottles are exposed to elevated heat. Tests
show the presence of a slight fruity taste from a PET bottle which was stored at 490 (120F) for
72 hours. A similar taste was also observed from a year-old bottle stored at ambient temperature.
The intensity of the taste varies among PET resins.

PET water bottles are packaged in corrugated boxes. Package sizes are twentyfour 0.5-liter
bottles, twelve 1-liter bottles, and twelve 1.5-liter bottles. Warehousing practices are similar to
those for HOPE water bottles: Two-pallet high, short storage time, and avoid exposing the
product to heat.

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The 28-mm crown caps are the standard closures of PET water bottles. Recently, a push-pull
dispensing cap was introduced to enhance the packages portability.

There are variations in the dimensions of the bottle finishes, and variations in the caps as well,
therefore, the fit between the two parts is sometimes unsatisfactory. It is necessary to monitor the
capper for correct application torque and verify dimensions of bottles and caps regularly to
ensure package quality.
An over tightened cap causes difficulties for consumers, an under tightened cap may not
sufficiently protect the product during transportation and result in leakage.

CONCLUSION
1. PC returnable bottles demand a good bottle inspection program and a well planned bottle
washing operation. Proper handling by the bottler is essential to the long life of the
bottles. PC is the plastic of choice for returnable containers because of clarity, strength,
resistance to stains, and cleanability.
2. HDPE and PET bottles have many common quality issues. To enhance product
quality, a packaging specialist should thoroughly prepare the bottle specifications
for these types of plastic containers. Use taste tests to select a quality resin and
a bottle manufacturing process which will produce the lowest taste level for the
products. Regularly verify bottle and cap dimensions along with the bottle cappers

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operating conditions to ensure a good seal. Store products away from heat and plan for a
short storage time.

2. A final note to the packaging specialist is the need to pay particular attention to the
material handling practices at the molders facility. To optimize the bottle appearance,
PC resin and regrind should be kept dry and processed within 20 minutes after drying,
HDPE resin should have a low taste processing history, and PET resin should bear low
levels of acetaldehyde. Keep all plastic regrind stocks free from contaminants.

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REFERENCES
Food Engineering, Think Vitamin E Is Only Good for Your Skin? Take Another Look, pp.4748, December 1993.
General Electric, Engineered Blow Molding, Processing Manual EBM-300, p. 7, 1990.
General Electric, Processing Guide for Extrusion Blow Molding, Lexan Polycarbonate, p.
2,1992
Hanlon, J. F., Handbook of Package Engineering, pp. 8-20, 21, 1992.
Machine Design, Basic of Design Engineering, Polycarbonate, Penton Publication, pp. 849850, 1991.
Mihalich, J. M. and Baccaro, L. E., Polycarbonate, General Electric Plastics, The Wiley
Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology, pp. 510-511, 1986.
Nairn, J. F. and Norpell, I. M.,Phoenix Closures, Closures, Bottles and Jars, The Wiley
Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology, pp. 178-179, 1986.
Packaging Institute International, Glossary of Packaging Terms, 6th Edition, p.
210, 1988.
Paxon, Study of Plastic Taste in Bottled Waters, Presented to McKesson Water Products
Company, August 1993.
Phillips 66 Company, Gallon Bottle Capacity Variables, Technical Information
TSM-281, 1978.
Phillips 66 Company, Marlex 6007, Taste and Odor Research Project, Presented to McKesson
Water Products Company, August 1993.
Smith, M. A., HDPE, Phillips Chemical Company, The Wiley Encyclopedia of Packaging
Technology, p. 519, 1986.
Solvay, Trouble Shooting Guide for HDPE Bottle, poster number 317-1 177-PP, 1992.
Zeccadi, Joseph, Inspection and Test, Jurans Quallty Control Handbook,
4th Edition, p. 18.55, 1988.

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APPENDIX
Using Gas Chromatography /
Mass Spectrometer
To Confirm the Plastic Taste Result of
The High Density Polyethylene Water Bottle.

INTRODUCTION:

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a common container for drinking water bottle in the
United States. Popular bottle sizes are the half-, one-, and 2.5-gallon. We selected the
one-gallon bottle for this study.

A periodic taste test can be used to effectively quantify the plastic taste from HDPE
bottles. This can be accomplished by using an established taste panel. The taste
intensity of HDPE bottles depends on the quality of the blow molding process and is
also impacted by any adverse storage conditions. A fresh-made bottle with a strong
taste is often an indication of a need to verify the molding machines operating
parameters or the processing history of the related resin batch (Le, 1996).

Taste test results, obtained from a taste panel, are indistinguishable sometimes that a
second method needs to be performed for further rating of the taste difference between
the challenge and the control samples. Volatile chemical detection by gas
chromatograph/ mass spectrometer (GC/ MS) is an effective second method.

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THE GC/ MS METHOD:

1. Instrument:
a GC/ MS by Varian, Model 3400 CX, Saturn 2000 Program.
b. GC: DB-5 30 M x 0.32mm ID (1 micro film thickness)
Helium carrier gas, 2mL/min
c. MS: Scan Range 35-270u
Scan Rate 0.75 sec/scan (4 micro-scan/analytical scan)
d. Sampling Method: Headspace by Solid Phase Micro extraction (SPME) by
Supelco, #33590. (SPME absorbs the volatile compounds from the sample
headspace onto a coated fused silica fiber. The adsorbed compound will be
desorbed inside the GC upon sample acquisition.
2. Sample preparation:
a. Test bottle should be the representative unit from each cavity of the blow
molding machine, collected at least thirty (30) minutes after obtaining good
bottles from each cavity. (Good bottles are ones with weight and dimensions
in spec.

b. Cap the empty bottles immediately off the line while material is still warm to
trap the potential off-gases from the heated polymers.

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c. Fill test bottles with 32 micro mhos water (Crystal Fresh Drinking Water which
is filtered by carbon, reverse osmosis, food-grade mineral added, then
sterilized by ozonation and UV) and then condition for 24 hours at 600. Cool
test bottles in 45 C-water bath for one hour prior to sampling.

3. Sample Acquisition
a. Position the test bottle on a flat stable surface and maintain its stability during
acquisition time to prevent slippage of the SPME syringe from the sample
opening.

b. Puncture a one millimeter opening on the center of the sample bottle shoulder by
piercing a sterile 1 mm-cross section stainless-steel needle through the plastic.
Insert the SPME needle through this opening immediately following the piercing
action to prevent the volatiles from escaping.

c. Secure the SPME syringe perpendicular to the bottle shoulder by use of a holder
apparatus next to the sample bottle. The SPME should be stabilized continuously
and its flat end remain in contact with the bottle shoulder surface as close as
possible during acquisition time to minimize the escaping of the headspace
content.

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d. Absorption time is ten (10) minutes in sample, followed with three (3) minutes
exposure within the sampling chamber. Analyze for thirty-four (34) minutes.

e. Blank SPME run was also performed for establishing a control base. Identical
SPME exposure and GC/MS run times were repeated for this blank run.

CONCLUSION:
Taste quality of HDPE bottles can be quickly determined by GC/MS analysis of the
headspace from the heated sample using the SPME sampler. The method described in
this paper is an effective way to collect consistent data for confirming the results of a
taste test panel; and the profile obtained by the GC method can be used for future QC
acceptance of bottles.
References (for Appendix):
Koszinowski, J. & Piringer, 0., Evaluation of Off-Odors in Food Packaging The Role of Conjugated Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds, Journal of Plastic
Film and Sheeting, Vol. 2, Jan.1986.
Paxon, Study of Plastic Taste in Bottled Water, presented to Mckesson Water
Products Co., August, 1993.
Phillips 66 Co., Marlex 6007, Taste and Odor Research Project, presented to
McKesson Water Products Co., August, 1993.
Solvay, Trouble Shooting Guide for HDPE Bottle, poster number 317-1 177-PP, 1992