This method describes the carry-over of aromas from PET containers. Returnable PET bottles should have no influence on the aroma or flavor of the beverages they contain.
Food production facilities which fill beverages in PET bottles
An increasing number of products with unique aroma formulations or very intense flavors are now being packaged in returnable PET bottles. This places new demands on the manufacturers of PET bottles and beverage producers as well as filling and packaging facilities. These bottles require more complicated cleaning procedures due to their lower heat tolerance, which in turn increases the likelihood of transferring odoriferous substances from one product to another. This phenomenon is universally referred to as the “carry-over” effect.
One source for this effect is the misuse of refillable PET bottles by customers who utilize them for storing highly odoriferous substances or chemicals. However, this effect is not limited to substances from previously used bottles but may also be attributable to adsorptive substances used in the materials of the packaging itself (seals, etc.), to inadequate cleaning or to any existing dead space in tanks, aggregates or piping systems. All of these factors are potential sources for the carryover of undesirable aroma components. Above all, filling a container with a product containing a less pronounced aroma than that of the preceding one can result in carry-over.