Plastic Beverage Bottles
Every day, millions of consumers rely on the safety and ease of plastic bottles to help to preserve the quality and freshness of what we drink and serve our families. Plastics make possible an array of opportunities for transporting, storing and serving our favorite beverages, and today’s convenience-size bottles are an increasingly popular choice for busy people everywhere.
Most convenience-size bottles sold in the United States are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET, #1). PET has become the material of choice for bottled beverages because it is lightweight and shatter resistant, and PET has been extensively tested for safety. Bottles made with PET are widely used for everything from water and fruit juice to soft drinks and even beer.
Like all materials intended for food contact, PET is subject to FDA review and regulations. To help assure the safety of our food, FDA carefully reviews safety information on food packaging materials before allowing them on the market. Based on the scientific evidence, FDA has determined that PET is safe for beverage bottles and other food packaging applications.
Despite these assurances, a recent series of e-mail hoaxes may have caused unnecessary confusion about PET bottles. The resources below can help you learn more.
Resources and Links
- Frequently Asked Questions: The Safety of Plastic Beverage Bottles
FAQs from Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council
- The Safety of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
Fact Sheet from Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council
- Packaging Materials: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) for Food Packaging Applications
Report from the International Life Sciences Institute, July 2000.
- White Paper on Refillable Plastic Packaging Made from PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
International Life Sciences Institute, 1994.
- Migration of Organic Components from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Bottles to Water
Study by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, June 2003.
- Food Contact Substance Notification Program
U.S. FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Information
- List of “Indirect” Additives Used in Food-Contact Substances
U.S. FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Information
- Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations
For information on PET, see 21 CFR Section 177.1630 and 21 CFR Section 177.1315.
- National Center for Food Safety and Technology’s Food Packaging Research