# Plastic juice bottles: the no air revolution **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2000, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926 "2000-12-31T19:29:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/1 "2000-12-31T19:29:33Z")
Has anyone bought a plastic bottle of juice recently. Apple, grape, cranberrry, whatever. Sometime within the last couple of years, all (most?) bottlers have adopted a new bottling technology that completely excludes air from the container. You think maybe there’s some air hidden by the white cap. You turn the bottle over, and no air bubble floats up into the transparent bottom. This is in contrast to the older style glass bottles, which had air (or at least some gas) in them albeit at a pressure lower than atmospheric. How do they do this (squeeze the bottle and cap it?)? Why do they do this? Does it increase the product shelf life? ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/2 "2000-12-31T19:39:22Z")
I think your a liar! What brands? ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/3 "2000-12-31T20:11:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Whammo \* > \*\*I think your a liar! > > What brands? \*\* WTF? Here’s a link to [Welchs](http://www.welchs.com/products/bottledandcanned.html) showing lots of pretty juices with no AIR For bigger pics try [url=http://www.netgrocer.com] netgrocer . There’s a real nice pic of Mott’s apple juice (and many others). Same story. Plastic bottle, no air. To restate my original query in this post, WTF? ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/4 "2000-12-31T20:14:08Z")
Oops, that was suppossed to say: For bigger pics try [netgrocer](http://www.netgrocer.com). There’s a real nice pic of Mott’s apple juice (and many others). Same story. Plastic bottle, no air. To re-reiterate: **WTF** ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/5 "2000-12-31T20:21:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by choosybeggar \* > \*\* > For bigger pics try [netgrocer](http://www.netgrocer.com). There’s a real nice pic of Mott’s apple juice \*\* Excuse me?! I don’t see any bottles of juice in that link! Just what the hell are you trying to pull here? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/6 "2000-12-31T20:22:36Z")
That seemed unduly harsh by **Whammo** Am I missing something here ? ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/7 "2000-12-31T20:38:49Z")
Whammo, this is (I think-I didn’t search) the first time we are posting together. Hello. How are you? Happy holidays. You seem to be having trouble finding some information. Allow me to assist you. Click on the netgrocer link in my previous post (the blue word “Netgrocer”). Allow your browser to open the page. Then select “juices and drinks” under the dairy case menu. This will take you to a page where there are three pics. One tang pic. Ignore it. One Mott’s apple juice pic and one OS cranberry juice pic. If you click on the text reading “info” next to either of those bottles you will be taken to a page with a fairly decent sized pic of either product. After that you can beg for my forgiveness ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/8 "2000-12-31T20:40:35Z")
…as for your other link… The air is obviously hidden by the oversized white cap or the pictures are doctored, but don’t be giving me this bullshit about there not being any AIR in the BOTTLE!! ---
**Author:** ![exegisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@exegisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exegisis)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/9 "2000-12-31T20:45:42Z")
I remember noticing the change to no air in the bottles a while back. Do you have any productive ideas whammo? ---
**Author:** ![Zor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/848f3c/32.png) [@Zor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zor)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/10 "2000-12-31T20:47:14Z")
There should be some air in those juice bottles. Imagine how hard it will be to fill a container to the brim and put the cap on without spilling your juice all over the place on a manufacturing line. There are other ways, but still a big hassle. Besides, anyone trying to open a container which is absolutely filled may inadvertently spill some of its contents as they struggle with the cap. It’s best for both the manufacturer and the consumer to have juice bottles that contain some air… ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/11 "2000-12-31T20:48:22Z")
Sorry I can’t find a pic of a bottle with a transparent cap, Whammy. But the extinction of a very small bit of ignorance is just a trip to the local market away for you. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/12 "2000-12-31T20:48:58Z")
…and as for your sockpuppet! JUST KIDDING! sheesh… ya get in a wierd mood _once_ and people start taking you seriously all the sudden. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/13 "2000-12-31T20:52:14Z")
I agree with **Whammo**. Those photos were obviously created in a soundstage in the New Mexico desert. Look at the way the light refracts through the juice- physically impossible! And what about the stars in the background? I don’t see any stars! jb ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/14 "2000-12-31T20:54:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zor \* > \*\*There should be some air in those juice bottles. Imagine how hard it will be to fill a container to the brim and put the cap on without spilling your juice all over the place on a manufacturing line. There are other ways, but still a big hassle. Besides, anyone trying to open a container which is absolutely filled may inadvertently spill some of its contents as they struggle with the cap. It’s best for both the manufacturer and the consumer to have juice bottles that contain some air… \*\* I agree that it must have taken some great feat of engineering to accomplish this. That’s why I’m interested. I hope this thread generates a new national pastime; inverting bottles of juice in the supermarket. Try it yourself. There’s no air bubble. The bottles are designed so as not to spill when opened, however. On opening, air goes into the bottle, leaving a nice 1/2-3/4 inch margin at the top with no juice. This suggests to me that the bottle are filled almost to the top, compressed slightly, and then capped. ---
**Author:** ![choosybeggar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@choosybeggar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choosybeggar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/15 "2000-12-31T20:56:37Z")
**OP? anyone? OP?** ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/16 "2000-12-31T21:00:43Z")
Bueller? Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/17 "2000-12-31T21:24:33Z")
My juice has air! Click to see. [http://www.geocities.com/B\_Line12](http://www.geocities.com/B_Line12) **Runs for the hills** ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/18 "2000-12-31T21:31:03Z")
**Whammo** , come on. I’ve got enough problems with people who are _actually_ jerks without someone pretending to be one for the afternoon. Help a mod out, willya? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/19 "2000-12-31T21:32:09Z")
Oh, and your link doesn’t seem to work. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926/20 "2000-12-31T21:44:42Z")
If you keep out the air, you will slow down the ageing of your product. This is a big WAG on my part. All my OS Cranberry juice comes this way. Big bottles or small. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plastic-juice-bottles-the-no-air-revolution/47926.md?page=2)