New technology reportedly improves barrier performance and reduces environmental impact of packaging
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Constar’s new DiamondClear oxygen scavenging technology for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers. Under this Food Contact Notification (FCN), Constar is expected to begin selling DiamondClear for packaging virtually all oxygen sensitive food and beverage products, including tomato ketchup, salsas, pasta sauces, table sauces, jams, jellies, ready-to-drink teas, juices, dairy, wine, and other alcoholic beverages.
Earlier in January, 2007, the FDA had approved Constar’s original DiamondClear oxygen scavenging technology. Reportedly, Constar submitted for a new FCN after developing new chemistry for DiamondClear technology to further enhance its barrier performance, clarity and recyclability.
Constar claimed that the new DiamondClear material exhibits capacity for scavenging oxygen, enabling packaging features such as extreme light weighting, multi-year product shelf life, robust empty bottle life, and a step change improvement for recycling.
Reportedly, DiamondClear is a proprietary technology developed by Constar which improves barrier performance and reduces environmental impact of packaging. The company claims that the technology has the ability to tightly control oxygen ingress and enables PET containers with DiamondClear to keep products fresher.
Mike Hoffman, CEO and president of Constar, said: “The FDA’s approval validates the effectiveness of DiamondClear technology and solidifies Constar’s position in high barrier PET packaging. It also reflects well on the capabilities of Constar’s technology team to create and prove a barrier technology that answers the market’s needs from both environmental and food safety perspectives.
“The FDA’s approval of DiamondClear is a testament to the creativity and commitment of Constar’s people. We have developed a PET technology that can deliver longer shelf life without compromising the clarity of the container. It mirrors the clarity and gloss of glass, and allows for the reduction of packaging weight to as little as one-tenth that of a comparably sized glass container. DiamondClear gives the marketplace a truly sustainable alternative; I am very pleased that the FDA has approved its use.”