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About J. Peter Clark
Expertise
How various processed foods are made; ways to improve manufacturing; how to make a new food product.

Experience
Employment history: Research Engineer, U.S.Agricultural Research Service, Associate Professor Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Director of Research, Continental Baking Company, President, Epstein Process Engineering, Inc., Vice Presdent Technology, Fluor Daniel, Inc., Consultant to the Process Industries

Organizations: American Institute of Chemical Engineers (Fellow) Institute of Food Technologists, American Association of Cereal Chemists, American Association of Candy Technologists, American Society of Agricultural Engineers,

Publications: Several Encyclopedias (Kirk and Othmer, Chemical Technology; Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition; Wiley Encyclopedia of Food Science and Technology; Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems); five books, two book chapters; numerous journals.

Education: BSChE Notre Dame PhD University of California, Berkeley

Awards: AIChE Food, Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Division Award 1998

Clients: Major food processing and pharamaceutical companies.

You are here: Experts > Industry > Food Engineering > Food Engineering/Manufacturing > plastic bottles

Food Engineering/Manufacturing - plastic bottles

Expert: J. Peter Clark - 12/6/2007

Question
I own the label for a small bbq sauce company and am ready to graduate from the mason jar level and into the plastics division of production. I was wondering if there are any parameters that we can produce under with the foam sealers for the tops of the plastic bottles. Is it the same technique as mason jars, or do I need UV lights AND water to sterilize the plastic bottles? Thanks for your time in answering this.

Answer
I am not sure what is meant by "foam sealers." Plastic jars usually have screw on plastic caps. If you have been filling Mason jars, you probably have been filling hot, which sterilizes the jars and caps. You want to do the same with plastic, but carefully as the heat softens the jars and they can be distorted when putting the caps on. It is a good idea to clean containers of any sort before filling, often by blowing with air or washing,but this is not a substitute for heating.

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