Spectrum Packaging

Expeller Pressed vs. Cold Pressed
Hydrogenation and Trans-Fatty Acids
To Filter or Not Filter?
Refined or Unrefined?
Packaging
Culinary Oils Processing Guide

Packaging

We at Spectrum are committed to ongoing research and development to create packaging that sets standards for our industry. Traditionally, we have packed our EFA products in a plastic called High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), like most other EFA companies. But in our quest for a better way, we are now converting all of our EFA liquid product packaging to Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) for two important reasons:

A better bottle
EFAs are fragile. There’s simply no skirting that issue. That’s why all of Spectrum Essentials’ bottles are black with an hermetically sealed cap--to keep out light and oxygen, two main adversaries of delicate Omega-3s. PETE plastic provides a superior barrier to oxygen and heat and is extremely tough. Part of making EFA oils that we can be proud of is finding a package that will preserve their integrity and freshness. PETE plastic does just that.

A softer impact on the environment
PETE plastic is 100% virgin, food-grade plastic. But it is also the most highly valued plastic for recycling. More recycling communities accept PETE plastic than any other, minimizing waste and landfill mass. It is also a dramatically lighter plastic—a full 35 % lighter than HDPE, which means less fuel is used to create each bottle. These little differences add up to a smaller footprint left on the earth.

Why the ‘dents’?
Buckling, or ‘paneling’ as it’s known in the trade, is a complex phenomenon involving pressure changes and an oil’s tendency to form a vacuum within the bottle. Rest assured that paneling doesn’t in any way harm the product inside. In fact, it’s evidence that the oil is fully protected from air. However, we are working towards developing a bottle that will completely resist paneling.