Polyethylene terephthalate bottles (PRBs): A health and safety assessment

Abstract

As part of a multi-client project, the potential public health risks of the reuse of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) refillable bottles (PRBs) following possible misuse has been investigated. Participants in the project provided data and information from previous studies conducted independently at contract laboratories. These studies were sponsored by the clients in order to provide further research data on PET containers and their safety. In this report, the results of five of these studies along with the results of a recent study carried out at TNO are compiled and reported. PET refillable bottles were exposed to 62 contaminants, including pesticides, that a consumer could potentially store in bottles. After storage with a contaminant under well defined conditions, the bottles were washed, filled with a simulated beverage, and stored for various lengths of time. The beverage and in some cases the bottle wall were then analysed for the presence of the contaminants. Toxicological evaluation of the analytical results from these tests on contaminant residue remigration showed that even under exaggerated exposure conditions, there was no public health concern. Only one compound, parathion, remigrated to a level that required a more in-depth risk evaluation, and under the most conservative assumptions, it too presented no real health hazard. Additionally, current detection systems employed to ensure product quality detect a wide variety of contaminants, including commercial formulations of parathion. Data developed in this paper are consistent with the finding that PRBs can be safely reused. For preventing negative effects on product quality (e.g. taste), however, good manufacturing procedures including visual and electronic inspection systems are required to eliminate abused bottles.

Identification of chemicals, possibly originating from misuse of refillable PET bottles, responsible for consumer complaints about off-odours in water and soft drinks

“…E-mail: helene.widen@sik.se bottles (Feron et al 1994; Komolprasert and Lawson 1997;Tawfik et al 1997;Jetten et al 1999). The refillable bottles were exposed to chemical substances such as household chemicals, pesticides, automotive products, etc.…”

Removal of Microorganisms from Polymer Bottles by Caustic Washing

“…Because of their infragility, light weight, recyclability and processability, advantages of the glass bottle and the one way plastic bottle are combined when a returnable plastic bottle is considered. However, earlier studies have shown that certain chemical substances (pesticides, household chemicals) are absorbed by the plastic when bottles are misused by the consumer (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Part of the chemical is retained by the plastic even after normal caustic washing and can migrate into the contents of a refilled bottle.…”

Sensory characterization of polyester-based bottle material inertness using threshold odour number determination

“…These substances may originate from a previous food product or result from consumer misuse. Toxicological evaluations of a wide range of consumer misuse products have indicated no risk to public health (Feron, Jetten, de Kruijf, & van den Berg, 1994;Tawfik, Devlieghere, Steurbaut, & Huyghebaert, 1997). However, the transfer of odour and flavour substances from a previous filling can lead to off-odours which change the organoleptic properties of the next beverage contained in a refillable bottle (Nielsen, 1994;Sto¨llman, 1995;Jetten, de Kruijf, & Castle, 1999) and may even result in consumer complaints (Wide´n, Leufve´n, & Nielsen, 2005).…”