Sterilization of PET Bottles
We manufacture sugar based syrups and produce our bottles in house while the preforms are from outside. since we are going for ISO22000 Implementation we need the sterilization of our bottles. Can anyone guide me about sterilization of PET bottles. Production manager is against hot water sterilization. Is there any other way of sterilizing the PET bottles.
Hello mehraj.udct,
you can use ozonised water for decontamination of PET bottles or you can use ionised air for disinfection
Hello, I am a BRC packaging auditor and have visited many PET preform injection moulders and stretch blow moulders. In my view, the temperature used to blow the bottle is high enough to kill any bacteria that may be contaminating the interior of the container. But, the risk of bacterial contamination of the inside of the preform, let alone the bottle, is very, very low. If you are in any doubt, do some swab tests on the bottles after they emerge from the bottle blower to test my theory.
Are the bottles blown immediately before being filled with product? If so, I agree with pacepavicius that the temperature required to blow the bottle will kill any bacteria and bottle rinsing would be an unnecessary step.
If the bottles are produced, stored and then later filled, rinsing could be required as there may have beenopportunity for contamination in the meantime. Consider the properties of your product though. If they are very high in sugar, it is probably not a suitable environment for bacteria to grow in anyway. The risk of both the bottle being contaminated AND microbial proliferation could be so low that bottle rinsing is deemed to not be necessary.
BTW I'm sure that ISO 22000 does not have any requirements so specific as bottle sterilisation being essential. Even FSSC 22000 does not have that requirement.
We manufacture sugar based syrups and produce our bottles in house while the preforms are from outside. since we are going for ISO22000 Implementation we need the sterilization of our bottles. Can anyone guide me about sterilization of PET bottles. Production manager is against hot water sterilization. Is there any other way of sterilizing the PET bottles.
Ozone, Peroxide or Peracetic Acid if you want to use cold chemical treatment. Depends on your style of bottle but some people 'top' them just before they enter the filler.
Bottles may be sterile coming off the blow moulder but may be subject to subsequent contamination so it is wrong to assume that they are sterile.
I have also tried UV to limited success, this is more effective in bottles with a wide aperture.
Regards,
Tony
plz specify whether you are filling hot, warm or cold, it depends upon the process also