CONTAINERS FOR LIQUID BEVERAGES AND METHODS OF FORMING AND PROCESSING THESE CONTAINERS

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of processing and protecting ingredients in a beverage from the effects of photodegradation is provided. The method may include: providing a red coloured container having light transmission properties between about 630 and 700 nm in wavelength; filling the red coloured container with a beverage including water and at least one of the following beverage ingredients to be preserved: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Stevia, Aspartame, Sucralose or any other non-nutritive sweetener; capping and/or sealing the red coloured container; wherein the red coloured container is configured to filter an UV/visible light so as to reduce light degradation of the beverage ingredients.

Claims

1. A method of processing and protecting ingredients in a beverage from the effects of photodegradation, the method comprising: providing a red coloured container having light transmission properties between about 630 and 700 nm in wavelength; filling the red coloured container with a beverage comprising still or carbonated water and at least one of the following beverage ingredients to be preserved: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Stevia, Aspartame, Sucralose or any other non-nutritive sweetener; capping and/or sealing the red coloured container; wherein the red coloured container is configured to filter an UV/visible light so as to reduce light degradation of the beverage ingredients.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising labelling the red coloured container.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the beverage further comprises at least one of the following: Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Vitamin B2, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the beverage comprises monatin or an UV stabilizer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the red coloured container is manufactured from a plastic material comprising an UV filter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the red coloured container is manufactured from or comprises a quantity of recycled PET or PCR equal to or greater than about 25%.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the red coloured container is manufactured from or comprises a quantity of recycled PET greater than about 50%.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the red coloured container is manufactured from or comprises a quantity of recycled PET or PCR greater than about 75%.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the red coloured container is manufactured from a 100% recycled PET or PCR.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the red coloured container is manufactured from greater than about 5% ‘secondary value’ recycled PET.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the red coloured container is manufactured from greater than about 50% ‘secondary value’ recycled PET.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises forming the red coloured container.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming comprises blow moulding the red container using a red coloured PET or recycled PET.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming comprises: blow moulding a clear or near clear PET to form a substantially clear container; and, coating the formed clear contained with a red colourant or ink to form the red coloured container.

15. A container comprising: an external wall defining an interior volume; and, the internal volume adapted to receive and hold a volume of beverage, the beverage comprising carbonated water and at least one of the following ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Stevia, Aspartame, Sucralose or any other non-nutritive sweetener; wherein, the external wall is formed from a substantially red colour having light transmission properties between about 630 and 700 nm in wavelength and is configured to filter an UV/vis light so as to reduce light degradation of the ingredients present in the beverage.

16. A container suitable for hot-fill, the container comprising: an external wall defining an interior volume; a movable sidewall or moveable base portion configured to reduce vacuum pressure within the container following a cooling of heater liquid contents filled into the container; and, the internal volume adapted to receive and hold a volume of beverage, the beverage comprising water and at least one of the following ingredients: High Fructose Com Syrup (HFCS), Stevia, Aspartame, Sucralose or any other non-nutritive sweetener, or one of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Vitamin B2, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12; wherein, the external wall is formed from a polymer including at least 25% PCR and containing a colour having light transmission properties above at least 630 and 700 nm in wavelength and is configured to filter an UV/visible light so as to reduce light degradation of the ingredients present in the beverage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0116] One preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0117] FIG. 1 shows the electromagnetic spectrum; and,

[0118] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a method of processing a carbonated beverage, constructed and operative in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0119] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various principles of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that not all these details are necessarily always required for practicing the present invention.

[0120] The inventive method, which is described hereinafter, allows packaging, protecting and preserving of various compounds present in both still and carbonated beverages from the effects of photodegradation. It is particularly advantageous that the method preserves the product flavours, nutrients and other qualities that contribute to the product experience for a longer period of time than is typical in the industry.

[0121] Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which illustrates an exemplary method of processing a beverage to be preserved. At step 210, the method may comprise providing a container configured to receive a beverage that may be carbonated or non-carbonated, and either cold or hot-filled. For example, the bottle may be blow moulded to form a container that is primarily red in colour, and may comprise at least 25% PCR composition. In one embodiment, a red coloured PET can be used and blow moulded to form the container. In another embodiment, a clear, or otherwise near clear PET may be blow moulded and then, coated with a red colourant or ink. At the end of step 210, a PET container having a substantially red colour primarily transmitting light between about 630 and 700 nm in wavelengths is therefore formed.

[0122] The formed primarily red PET container may then be filled at step 220 with a beverage comprising of still, or carbonated or soda water and at least one of the following ingredients: Sucrose, Fructose, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Sucralose, Stevia, Aspartame, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Vitamin B2, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, flavourings, acids or preservatives. The primarily red container formed at step 210 and filled at step 220 allows the ingredients to be protected within by means of filtering the more harmful end of the electromagnetic spectrum and also prevents the damaging light rays within the ultraviolet spectrum from reaching the beverage. By forming and providing a container having a primarily red colour, protection and preservation of the contents of the container can be achieved in a superior way to containers currently present in the industry as red is the farthest distance in the electromagnetic spectrum from the ultraviolet wavelengths and therefore offers a superior protection compared to other coloured containers.

[0123] At step 230, the primarily red container may then be capped or otherwise sealed, whereby the red colour present in the PET container filters out a significant amount of the UV light wavelengths that pass through it. This in turn protects the stability of the ingredients of the beverage within from the damaging effects of these Ultraviolet rays.

[0124] The formed primarily red PET container may be formed or comprise a significant amount of recycled PET. For example, the container may comprise a particular amount of recycled PET (rPET). The amount of rPET may be equal to or above 25%, but may be anywhere between 50% and 100%, and more preferably between 75% and 100%.

[0125] Another advantage of primarily red PET container is that the red colour can act as a mask for the yellowing effect that is often prone to occur in the rPET after multiple melts and blow-mould extrusions. As the red segment of the colour spectrum is adjacent to the yellow segment, the two colours can mix with little or no noticeable effect on the final colour or aesthetic quality of the formed container.

[0126] The present invention allows for the use of much lower grade recycled PET to be incorporated back into the freshly produced containers. The lower grade PET that is often removed from the recycling stream(s), those which contain oxygen scavenging or ultraviolet light protecting barrier technologies, or otherwise have multiple recycling melt histories resulting in more visible yellowing. This material can with the application of the invention be used without negative repercussion to the aesthetic quality or consumer perception of the final product. This offers a huge benefit insofar as cheaper and plentiful low-grade PET can be purchased from recycling centres for use as raw material, offering greatly enhanced commercial and ecological potential.

[0127] The formed primarily red PET container can also be easily and more clearly identified as its own stream within the recycling systems and therefore the reclamation rate of consistent quality PET can be greatly enhanced. With very few other red containers in the recycling system, the purity of the PET reclaimed will be of a much higher standard than other colour streams present in the system that consist of many differing products, producers and plastic compositions.

[0128] In the embodiments where the container is formed from clear, or otherwise near clear PET and then coloured or tinted red with ink or other colouring method, the PET can be cleaned of its red colour during the standard washing, flaking and processing phases during the recycling process. This can then produce high grade clear PET that has been significantly protected from Ultraviolet damage, and can in turn be less yellow than much of the other PET in the system, rendering a higher value recyclable PET.

[0129] Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of mass producing a plastic container of an uncommon colour not presently active in the recycling stream, and then reclaiming said new coloured container, thereby ensuring the consistency and purity of all the reclaimed plastic.

[0130] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like, are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense, that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.

[0131] Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention. The invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more of said parts, elements or features.

[0132] Furthermore, where reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

[0133] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

[0134] Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.