6 replies to this topic

[APPAJI]

Dear All,
Can Ready to eat food be packed in PET Jar and retorted? What Is Hazard?
Thanks
Appaji

[Chief Inspector]

First, check your local laws and regulations.
PET jars should be fine for short term, as long as you're in keeping with time and temperature control.
Jars and lids should be sanitized prior to use. If canning for long term storage, you should follow a proper canning procedure which includes sterilization of the jars and lids (and canning tools, etc.), not just sanitizing.
Label the jars with product, time and date of packing.
That being said, PET jars aren't that dissimilar from using plastic bags, plastic wrap or any other means of storage containment of RTE foods.

[Charles.C]

Dear Appaji,

Just a clarification. Maybe i worry too much.

did you mean raw petfood > PET jar > retort

or

(retorted)RTE petfood > PET jar > storage ?

Rgds / Charles.C

[Simon]

In my experience retorted packages are glass, tins, steel or PP (Polypropylene), I've never really seen PET, but I cannot tell you for what reason PET is not used so much. Could possibly be related to temperature as retort process is in region of 121C for 40 minutes. You would have to conduct process trials.

[APPAJI]

Dear Charles,
I am sorry for not responding earlier. I was travelling and not able to accesses the mail. I mean fill the ready to eat food in PET jar and then retorting. at 120 Deg. C for 40 min. the PET will be deshaped and I am worried about the polymer migration. Can Polypropiline withstand that temp.?

Regards
Appaji

[Mike Green]

Dear Charles,
I am sorry for not responding earlier. I was travelling and not able to accesses the mail. I mean fill the ready to eat food in PET jar and then retorting. at 120 Deg. C for 40 min. the PET will be deshaped and I am worried about the polymer migration. Can Polypropiline withstand that temp.?

Regards
Appaji

Hi- my understanding is the max usable temp for Polyethylene terephthalate containers was around 70 degrees celsius!

If they are still using antimony as a catalyst in PET production- I would be concerned about heating it to such a high temp

Regards
mike

Whoops-Some info to add- I think i was wrong about the 70 degree thing- the link attached (mainly about juice but there is some temp related stuff halfway down the page) suggests some Pet containers can be used at 180 degrees-however i may have been right about the antimony!!
Mike
antimony pet

Edited by Mike Green, 15 December 2010 - 06:50 PM.

[Foodworker]

Anybody know what the new Heinz fridge packs are made of as they probably undergo a retorting type process.

cPET is certainly used to make ovenable trays for ready meals, the melting point is ~250C. Whether it can be formed into a jar which would have sufficient rigidity to withstand retorting is a different matter. What is the lid to be made of?

You are getting into a major piece of product development and there are a lot of technological problems to solve before you can be certain. You will need to carry out numerous development trials whatever polymer you choose.

Are you moulding the jars yourself or buying them in? If the latter I would suggest that the starting point is to talk to your supplier.

With respect to migration, as the processing condtions are so aggressive, you would have to carry out migration testing in a way which reflects the temperature/time of the retorting and the shelf life of the product. Although the 10 day @ 40C standard is more sensitive than a 2 hour 70C (to duplicate microwave heating conditions) I don't think it will be sufficient to prove migration compliance in a retort.