• If you have a question about commercial production or the hot sauce business, please post in Startup Help.

bottling Bottling in Plastic...?

Hey everyone! New to this place... nice to 'meet' you...
 
I'm starting a small hot sauce company with a friend and we're just getting going! We're making lots of progress and we have a very solid final recipe, but we want to ultimately package our hot sauce in squeezeable plastic bottles (with a squeeze/twist top). 
 
I have a couple of questions. 
 
1) Is there a good resource available for plastic bottles that are actually designed to be squeezed? Many of the sources listed here and that I've found on my own will indeed fit a squeeze cap, but the density of the plastic doesn't feel right -- it's always too rigid. 
 
2) More importantly: is there a safe way to bottle the hot sauce in plastic? It has roughly the consistency of Huy Fong's sriracha. Could I simply boil the sauce and hot pack it into sanitized plastic bottles? Is there a way to heat sanitize the plastic that wont melt them or degrade the plastic? 
 
I suppose I simply know nothing about how heat, acidity, etc, would affect plastic both short and long term -- and I want to make sure this product is safe!! I will be buying a pH meter soon as well.
 
Thanks SOOO much for reading! 
 
Zach
 
one thing for sure, you want BPA free plastic. i've stored hot sauce in a little "food safe" squirt bottle that i purchased in the camping section at walmart. it seems to be ok, but i really don't know for sure.
 
Greeting frickafricka!  :welcome: to THP.
 
Sounds like you're just getting started on your hot sauce adventure.  Here's some information that might help you.
 
Plastic is very heat-sensitive and doesn't work for most independent sauce makers.  For most independent sauce makers, their recipes get reviewed by the Process Authority and 99% are instructed to bottle at 180 degrees Fahrenheit or greater.  Plastic melts right at about 181-182F(depending on the type of plastic).  Most independent sauce makers don't have the bottling equipment to control temperature to that tight of a margin.  Unless the product has a super-high acid (vinegar) content and the pH is around 3.0, I doubt you'd get approved to bottle at less than 180F.  Some process authorities even stipulate bottling at 190F. 
 
Some professional co-packers have the $$$ equipment to safely pack in plastic at tightly controlled temperatures.  You'll just have to start calling around.  Here's a resource I found recently-
http://www.specialtyfoodresource.com/page/page/4205553.htm
 
I'm not sure how complete it is, but it'll get you started.  Anyway, I have a feeling you'll have to end up using a co-packer if you really want the sauce in plastic bottles. 
 
 
Independent sauce making-v-co-packing....
As an independent sauce maker, you are responsible for-
state food licensing, state business license, state and federal taxes on profits, FDA registrations, insurance for product and facility, procuring a facility, getting recipes reviewed and approved, procuring all ingredients, supplies, buying equipment, bottles, getting BPCS-certified if required, processing, packing, batch testing and record keeping, make mistakes and ruin batches of sauces....
 
Using a co-packer, you are responsible for-
product insurance, writing a check to the co-packer, state and federal taxes on profits (you know what they say about the only 2 SURE thing in life...death and taxes...) 
 
 
:lol:  It's not quite that simple, but that's the food business in a nut shell.        
 
 
 
There's lots of posts in the Business forums, (and in this Bottling) forum about "Process Authority" and co-packing.  Use the Search function, get another cup of coffee, and enjoy the reading!
 
Have Fun!
 
salsalady  
 
Salsalady is spot on (again), but just to expand a bit:
 
You basically have two process options for bottling:
 
1. Hot fill hold
2. Aseptic
 
Hot fill process typically requires bottling above 180
 
PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles can be clear, and squeezable, and bottles can withstand bottling temps up to 185, so theoretically you could hot fill using PET. But, that means you'd have to have tight control over your temperature during bottling, and get a process authority to be satisfied with your controls.
 
PP (Polypropylene) bottles can withstand higher temps, but are typically rigid and opaque, so probably would not meet your needs for a squeezable bottle
 
You can bottle at less than 180 using an aseptic process, but that requires a much greater degree of control over many more steps of your process. (And I believe your whole facility needs to meet aseptic standards - that would be tough in a shared space/commissary type setup)
 
That being said I know of at least one guy (small producer like us) in the San Francisco area who makes bottled iced tea in soft sided plastic bottles.
 
What I'd do if I were you is find someone like that in your area and ask them how they did it
 
Back
Top