Anchor Answers

Attribute	Polypropylene Random	Polypropylene Homopolymer	PVC Polyvinyl Chloride	Polystyrene High Impact
High Temperature	Fair-Good	Good	Poor	Fair
Low Temperature	Poor Frozen Good Refrigerated	Poor Frozen Good Refrigerated	Good Frozen Very Good Refrigerated	Poor Frozen Good Refrigerated
Clarity	Good	Fair	Very Good	Poor
Moisture Barrier	Very Good	Very Good	Good	Poor
Oxygen Barrier	Fair	Fair	Good	Poor
Greases/Oils	Very Good	Very Good	Good	Fair
Density (g/cc)	.09	.09	1.35	1.04
Microwavability	Good	Good	Poor	Poor-Fair
Heat Distortion Temperature °F	190-210	200-240	125-155	160-180

Attribute	OPS Oriented Polystyrene	Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate	Amorphous Polyethylene Terephthalate	Polypropylene Block Copolymer
High Temperature	Fair	Very Good	Poor	Fair-Good
Low Temperature	Poor Frozen Fair Refrigerated	Very Good Frozen And Refrigerated	Poor Frozen Good Refrigerated	Good Frozen Very Good Refrigerated
Clarity	Very Good	Poor	Very Good	Poor
Moisture Barrier	Poor	Good	Good	Very Good
Oxygen Barrier	Poor	Good	Fair	Fair
Greases/Oils	Poor-Fair	Good	Fair	Very Good
Density (g/cc)	1.04	1.38	1.33	.09
Microwavability	Poor-Fair	Good	Poor	Poor
Heat Distortion Temperature°F	160-180	400	158	190-210

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Types of Materials Used in Packaging

Polypropylene

Use- The most common takeout packaging material, used for chicken roasters, deli tubs, bakery and microwaveable takeout containers. It is often used with an OPS (oriented polystyrene) dome. Although some companies such as Anchor, use polypropylene for domes and lids. It is also used for beverage containers and excellent for ready-to-heat.

Appearance- Usually made in black or clear. If clear, it's somewhat hazy. It can easily be made into many shapes, sizes and compartments and molded with design elements.

Properties- Very rigid, crack resistant, leak resistant. It can be film-sealed if the rim is wide enough. It can also be coated with anti-fog material to retain clarity.

Temperature Tolerance- Preferred material for microwave and hot case. It can resist temperatures up to 220° to 240°. Bones and high-fat foods that retain extra heat will not burn through.

Cost- Moderately priced. Not as expensive as CPET (crystalline polyethylene terephthalate).

Oriented Polystyrene (OPS)/High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

Use- Versatile because one SKU can be used for sandwiches, salad, bakery, deli, produce and catering. Popular for platter domes; hinged lid for sandwiches.

Appearance- Crystal clear, excellent for merchandising. It can also be black.

Properties- Stiff but brittle. Offers superior leak resistance and can be coated with anti-fog material to retain clarity when used in cold cases or for hot food. It can be made hinged or two-piece. It is cut resistant and too brittle for drinking cups. Not as strong as APET (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate).

Temperature Tolerance- Best for cold case and room temperature applications. It can withstand temperatures up to 150°. It can hold hot foods, but should not be put in an oven, hot case, or a microwave (except as a dome).

Cost- Moderately priced.

Foamed Polystyrene

Use- Used for clamshells and other hinged-lid containers, tableware, meat trays. Often used for restaurant doggie bags. Used for coffee and other hot beverages.

Appearance- It can be white, black, vanilla, green, pink, yellow or blue.

Properties- It has excellent heat retention and cold insulation. Strong, lightweight, won't allow soak-through. Snap on domes work well on plates for table-ready presentation. Comes in a variety of grades.

Temperature Tolerance- Moderate temperature resistance. It can hold hot foods and is microwaveable. Certain hot foods such as bones of ribs and pork can burn through.

Cost- Very economical, a good choice when merchandising is not needed.

Foamed Polypropylene

Use- Good for clamshells and other hinged-lid containers, tableware, and meat trays. This is a relatively new product and will become more used by various customers. It has good barrier properties.

Appearance- Usually white but can be other colors.

Properties- Excellent heat retention and cold insulation. Strong, lightweight, and won't allow soak-through. It has snap on domes that work well on plates for table-ready presentations. Comes in a variety of grades. It can also be heat-sealed with film.

Temperature Tolerance- It can hold hot foods and is microwaveable.

Cost- Moderately priced.

Crystalline Polythyelene Terephthalate (CPET)

Use- Frozen dinner trays and takeout entree containers that need to be heated. Good for merchandising in the freezer, hot or cold cases.

Appearance- Often black, but can be other colors.

Properties- A lot of design flexibility, it can be ridged, indented, and formed into multi-compartmented units. It has good crack resistance when frozen.

Temperature Tolerance- Dual-ovenable with wide temperature range. It can be heated in a regular oven to 400° or frozen to -40°.

Cost- Generally the most expensive of all the materials listed.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

Use- Especially good for merchandising cold foods, snack items and bakery items. Used for deli, produce, and catering. It is a good clamshell for sandwiches. It is used as domes for cakes, pies, and party platters. It is also good for drinking cups and excellent for frozen foods.

Appearance- PVC has extremely high clarity.

Properties- PVC is durable, tough, and clear. It is flexible Coke-bottle material and creates durable hinges. It can also be made into two-piece containers. It will flex rather than crack under the weight of food and resists cracking in the freezer.

Temperature Tolerance- Moderate temperature resistance. PVC will start to melt before 140° and cannot be used in the oven, hot case, or microwave.

Cost- Economically priced.