BlueLake PLA Bottle Extends Juice Shelf Life

Blue Lake Citrus Products in Winter Haven, Florida became the first company in the United States to supply bottled all-natural organic juice drinks. The bottle is made of NatureWorks(R) PLA polylactide resin. This kind of packaging that Blue Lake calls "ecological bottle" is more transparent than the company's previous PET bottle, and its excellent oxygen barrier capability gives the product a 60-day shelf life.

Wade J. Groetsch, chairman of Blue Lake, explained that the company chose NatureWorks' bio-based resin (a biodegradable, compostable polymer) because its strength lies in its ecofriendliness. “We are always looking for ways to reduce packaging waste and reduce the energy used in the production of new bottle packaging,” he said.

The lower melt index of PLA is not a problem in the filling process. "However, we still have to control the temperature during transportation and the storage temperature of the bottles," Groetsch reminded.

Reprinted from::China Food Industry Network