Plastic food containers

Labels for soft drink bottles, shampoo bottles, plastic food containers and the like, require high adhesion to materials like polyester and polyolefins. Once applied, the adhesive may have to withstand repeated flexing, freezing, water and other fluid spillage, while maintaining aesthetic appearance. 

Polyacrylonitrile plastic bottles for soft drinks and beer were taken off the market as possible carcinogens because of migration of acrylonitrile into the drink. Now most plastic food containers of this type are poly(ethylene terephthalate). 

In 2003, Wilkinson Industries introduced NaturesPLAsticin, which says the company, was the first-ever thermoformed plastic food container made from NatureWorks PLA. NaturesPLAstic is completely recyclable under composting conditions in 45 days using commercial composting facilities. 

Take some aluminum foil and shape a small square into a bowl or pan. Take a plastic food container with about a one-quart capacity. (A large butter tub will do nicely.) Wash it and its lid, then rinse and dry these... 

Barrier Properties of Ethylene—Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer in Retorted Plastic Food Containers... 

Solvent-borne systems still in use include polyurethanes for lamination of plastic films and EVA systems for some heat-seal applications such as lidding stock for plastic food containers. 

Some bonding methods use applied heat, usually rom microwaves. One example is to seal a plastic food container with plastic film. 

Bang DY, Kyung M, Kim Ml, Jung BY, Cho MC, Choi SM, Kim YW, Lim SK, Lim DS, Won AJ, Kwack SJ, Lee Y, Kim HS, Lee BM. Human risk assessment of endocrine-disrupting chemicals derived from plastic food containers. ComprRev Food Sci Food Saf2012 ll (5) 453-470. 

Bisphenol A (BPA), as shown in the following structure, is very common in plastic bottles, plastic food containers, children s drink bottles, dental materials, and receipt paper. World production amounted to 2.2 million tonnes in 2009. 

Tsai, B.C. and Wachtel, J.A. (1990) Barrier properties of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer in retorted plastic food containers. In Barrier Polymers and Structures, (ed. Koros, W.J.) American Chemical Society, Washington DC, pp. 192-202. 

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