The Final Say On Plastics

Plastics are everywhere

Next time you shop at a natural foods store, look at the packaging of the products available. Plastics are everywhere, preserving freshness of meat substitutes, organic dairy products, store-prepared deli foods, fresh juices, supplements and more.

Research proves top-quality HDPE plastics are superior

The predominance of plastic is understandable: The natural foods industry exerts a great deal of care in supporting its commitment to providing organic, natural products that are free of pesticides, toxic chemicals and genetic engineering. All of that effort could be wasted if the packaging reintroduces those same or potentially more harmful elements. While no packaging is perfect, all put demands on the environment. Top-quality, food-grade plastics particularly high-density polyethylene (HDPE) - have replaced glass in many instances after research has proven them to be superior health and ecological choices.

Careful research and evaluation lead Omega to HDPE

The decision to package our oils in HDPE bottles was no accident. While the distinctive light-proof packaging is esthetically pleasing, it also performs an important function ensuring the quality of the product inside.

After careful research and exhaustive evaluation of the alternatives, Omega Nutrition chose light-proof HDPE as the best packaging material for its oils because it is chemically non-reactive with foods and is completely opaque.1,2

Light-proof HDPE protects against exposure to heat, light and oxygen

Opacity to light is an important quality of any container used to store cold-pressed organic oils because light like oxygen, heat and exposure to reactive metals is very damaging to these oils.3

Food-grade polyethylene is approved by the U.S. FDA under Section 23: CFR 177.1520, and approved by Health Canada with a "letter of no objection" from the Health Protection Branch. In addition, HDPE is an inert, food-grade material that conforms to, among other standards, California's Safe Drinking Water Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65). This standard is especially worthy of note because California is the undisputed leader in establishing food-safety standards.

HDPE is more environmentally friendly than glass

When compared to glass, HDPE and many other top food-grade plastics are more environmentally friendly because their fabrication requires far less energy, and they are far lighter to ship. Even dairies that once recycled milk bottles realized high-quality plastic and even plastic-coated paper cartons are a better environmental, safety and health choices.

Omega backs up their claims of quality

Omega Nutrition has been making unrefined oils since 1987. Always mindful of product excellence and human health, we have proudly backed-up our claims of quality every step of the way. That concern extends to our product packaging.

1. Nova Chemicals Ltd., July 28, 1997
2. Clara Felix, June 4, 1997
3. Natural Health Products Report. "Hype and Deception in Health Food Stores." Zoltan P. Rona, M.D., M.Sc., December 12, 1994
4. Bureau of Chemical Safety in Ottawa, from the FoodPackaging Materials and IncidentalAdditives Section, Chemical Health Hazard Assessment Division.

Source: Janet Collins, freelance writer and researcher for Omega Nutrition