Common Injection Molded Plastic Materials for Commercial Food and Beverage Products

Plastic injection molding services have transformed the commercial food and beverage sector in many unique and positive ways.

A highly flexible and efficient production process, injection molding helps the industry manufacture safer, much more sustainable food packaging products and utensils than was traditionally possible. Likewise, the design freedom that injection molding affords in producing custom food packaging and containers facilitates much more efficient food transport, shipping, and storage. The result is substantially reduced waste and more cost-effective products for commercial food providers.

Injection molding also offers a range of other unique benefits to the modern food and beverage industry. For example, the ability to manufacture highly durable food/beverage containers in virtually any complex shape or custom color also helps with product presentation, facilitating neat packaging solutions for more premium, branded products.

Common Injection Molded Materials for the Food and Beverage Industry:

Expectations of quality, safety, and sustainability have never been higher than in today’s food and beverage industry. It’s essential for injection molding companies to use plastics that are safe for contact with consumable products, and also compliant with all food safety regulations.

At SRC Plastics, we specialize in injection molding services in accordance with all relevant requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European regulations for CE (European Conformity) Marking – in addition to meeting all unique customer specifications.

Some of the most common injection molded plastics that we use for food and beverage products include:

Polyethylene (PE)

PE plastic is common throughout the food and beverage industry because it is durable, customizable, and cost-effective. There are two main types of PE plastic for molded packaging and containers:

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

We use HDPE for injection molded bottles, caps, and various other containers. Because of the material’s high durability and resistance to moisture, it’s ideal for most liquid food/beverage products, helping to reduce damage and waste during shipment and storage.

Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

For flexible food packaging products we commonly use LDPE. This lower-density thermoplastic is perfect for common products like plastic bags and food pouches.

Polypropylene (PP)

We use injection molded PP plastic for manufacturing many different types of food containers, caps, and other custom closures. The material offers excellent resistance to chemicals and moisture, ensuring that it doesn’t leak or break down during storage. We can use PP plastics for many injection molded food and beverage products such as condiment containers, dairy cups, and bottle caps.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

PET is another popular choice in the food and beverage industry for transparent injection molded bottles – including water bottles, soda bottles, and juice containers. The material’s high dimensional stability and UV-/chemical-resistance make it outstanding for long-term liquid storage, especially for highly customized bottle designs that require complex geometries.

Polystyrene (PS)

Polystyrene is a cost-effective material for manufacturing many different disposable food packaging products and utensils common throughout the industry. For example, it’s commonly used to produce injection molded disposable cutlery, food trays, and takeout containers.

Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS)

ABS is used more for the commercial food preparation side of the industry. We can produce injection molded ABS components for appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, and food/beverage production line equipment.

Quality American Medical Manufacturing Since 1972

For more than half a century, SRC Plastics has remained one of Massachusetts’ leading injection molding companies for the food and beverage sector and beyond. We provide reliable American manufacturing services for virtually any molded plastic food products with a focus on better quality and better sustainability.