O₂ Blocking Agent
ColorWay oxygen barrier additive supports packaging designs focused on product protection. Discuss resin, process and shelf-life requirements with our team.
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OxyBLO₂ is a dual-layer oxygen defense additive for PET beverage bottles: it blocks oxygen entering through the bottle wall and absorbs the oxygen already held in the wall, the headspace and the liquid. USO-1002A needs no activation step and runs on existing single-layer injection molding equipment with any PET grade, while USO-1001P adds enhanced barrier protection for longer shelf life. Both suit cold and hot aseptic filling of juice, tea and functional drinks.
PET beverage packaging family active oxygen scavenger oxygen scavenger for PET bottles
The problem
PET is a light, recyclable and cost-effective bottle material, but it is not an absolute oxygen barrier. Oxygen arrives from four directions at once, and every route matters when the target is a stable flavour profile across a realistic shelf life.
Route 01
Air sealed above the liquid at filling dissolves into the beverage over time, carrying oxygen straight into the product before the closure ever leaks.
Route 02
Oxygen from outside air permeates through the PET wall. Thinner walls and longer storage windows give it more time to move inward.
Route 03
Dissolved oxygen enters with process water, syrup and blending steps, so part of the load is already inside the bottle at the filler.
Route 04
The seal interface is a small but real entry path, and it adds to the internal oxygen that the package has to manage.
Why mono-layer PET struggles with juice, tea and functional drinks: these categories are the most sensitive to oxygen-related change. Flavour dulls, colour shifts, aroma fades and nutritional quality drops, so a plain PET wall alone often falls short of the freshness window the product needs. That gap is the reason packaging teams look for an additive-based oxygen defense rather than a heavier bottle.
Mechanism
OxyBLO₂ is positioned as an additive that works in two directions at the same time, which is what "dual-layer" means in practice for a preform producer.
The additive supports a barrier against oxygen entering the package from the outside, reducing the load that reaches the bottle wall over storage time.
It absorbs oxygen already present in the bottle wall, the headspace and the liquid, targeting the oxygen that no external barrier can remove.
By slowing oxygen-related degradation, the additive helps preserve the sensory and nutritional quality that juice, tea and functional drinks are sold on.
Outstanding oxygen barrier performance is achieved with minimal impact on bottle appearance, and the product is positioned to help prevent or reduce delamination risk. Appearance and structure checks stay part of the release routine.
Variant selection
Both variants sit in the same USO Series and share the dual-layer oxygen concept. The difference is how much protection you ask for, how much transparency freedom you have, and how the additive behaves on your preform equipment.
| Selection point | USO-1002A | USO-1001P |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Requires no activation. | Confirm handling steps with ColorWay before a production run. |
| PET grade fit | Compatible with any PET grade. | Confirm grade-by-grade with ColorWay sampling. |
| Equipment | Works with existing single-layer injection molding equipment. | Confirm equipment fit with ColorWay for your line. |
| Oxygen performance | Excellent oxygen absorption while maintaining bottle transparency. | Enhanced oxygen barrier and absorption with superior oxygen defense over time. |
| Transparency | Transparency maintained. | Minimal impact on transparency. |
| Shelf-life protection | Standard oxygen defense for everyday PET beverage filling. | Extended protection for products that require a longer shelf life. |
| Typical starting point | Clear bottles, multiple PET grades, no room for an activation stage. | Longer storage windows where oxygen defense over time is the priority. |
Choose USO-1002A when
No activation is required, any PET grade is accepted and existing single-layer injection molding equipment can be used. This is the default starting point for clear bottles on a mono-layer preform line.
Choose USO-1001P when
The enhanced barrier and absorption profile targets products that need extended protection, with only minimal impact on transparency. Confirm the transparency expectation with sample bottles before locking the spec.
Confirm before you commit
Shelf-life target, PET grade, bottle thickness, transparency requirement and cold or hot aseptic filling. ColorWay does not publish numeric dose or shelf-life figures, so these criteria should be confirmed through sample testing.
Integration
For preform producers, the practical question is not only whether the additive works, but whether it drops into the injection process the plant already runs.
Start from the resin you already buy. USO-1002A is compatible with any PET grade, which keeps resin sourcing flexible across a plant running several grades.
The product is designed for single-layer injection molding, so the oxygen defense is built into the preform rather than added as a separate layer downstream.
USO-1002A requires no activation. That removes a process step from the line and is the main reason it fits existing single-layer injection molding equipment without a rebuild.
Once the preform is produced, the normal blow-molding and filling sequence continues, with appearance and delamination checks added to the release routine.
Dosage is a technical discussion, not a published number. The product page does not state numeric dose rates for either variant. Absorption efficiency depends on the amount added, the bottle thickness and the storage conditions, so the starting level for your container should be agreed with ColorWay and verified with preform and bottle samples before scale-up.
Validation
Because the variant and level are project-specific, the shortest route to a defensible specification is a structured sample and storage test. Use the checklist below as the working agenda with ColorWay.
| Testing variable | Why it changes the result | Buyer decision it supports |
|---|---|---|
| Amount added | The page states that absorption efficiency depends on the amount added, so a higher or lower level changes the oxygen defense available. | Fixes the specification level you will put into the purchase agreement. |
| Bottle thickness | Wall thickness is likewise listed as a factor in absorption efficiency and affects the oxygen path through the wall. | Decides whether a lighter bottle format can carry the same shelf life. |
| Storage conditions | Storage conditions are the third stated variable, so the distribution and retail environment belongs in the test plan. | Sets the shelf-life claim for each market and channel. |
| Filling type | The additive is suitable for both cold and hot aseptic filling, which changes the thermal load the bottle sees. | Confirms compatibility with the filling line already installed. |
| Appearance and delamination | Barrier performance is only useful if the bottle still looks right and the wall structure holds. | Protects brand presentation and prevents costly rework at the filler. |
Note on published data: the OxyBLO₂ product page does not state numeric specifications such as dose rates, capacity, temperature ranges or shelf-life figures. Treat any sample result you generate with ColorWay as the working reference for your own bottle and storage profile.
Filling and appearance
A barrier additive only earns a place in the specification if it survives the filling line and leaves the bottle looking like the brand designed it.
Cold aseptic filling
The additive is suitable for cold aseptic filling PET bottles, the route commonly used for juice, tea and functional drinks where heat treatment is minimised.
Hot aseptic filling
The same additive family is stated as suitable for hot aseptic filling, so a single packaging platform can serve both filling routes.
Transparency
Outstanding oxygen barrier performance is achieved with minimal impact on bottle appearance; USO-1002A keeps transparency while USO-1001P has minimal transparency impact.
Delamination
The product is positioned to prevent or reduce delamination risk, which is checked during validation rather than assumed.
Decision path
Use the table as the starting point for a technical conversation with ColorWay, then confirm the final variant and level with sample bottles produced on your own line.
| Your scenario | Variant starting point | What to confirm before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Juice, tea or functional drink in a clear bottle with a standard shelf-life target | USO-1002A | Confirm your PET grade and that the existing single-layer injection line runs the preform without an added activation stage. |
| Product that must hold quality over a longer storage window | USO-1001P | Confirm the transparency requirement and the target storage period through sample testing. |
| Plant that runs several PET grades on the same equipment | USO-1002A | Confirm grade-by-grade sample runs, since USO-1002A is stated as compatible with any PET grade. |
| Bottle wall thickness already fixed by the brand design | Either variant | Confirm the additive level against that thickness, because absorption efficiency depends on bottle thickness. |
| Cold aseptic filling line | Either variant | Confirm filling-trial samples and appearance checks on the filled bottle. |
| Hot aseptic filling line | Either variant | Confirm filling-trial samples and delamination inspection after the thermal load. |
| Long storage or high ambient temperature market | USO-1001P starting point | Confirm the level with ColorWay, as absorption efficiency also depends on storage conditions and no numeric dose is published. |
OxyBLO₂ is quoted per project, because the right variant and level depend on your shelf-life target, PET grade, bottle thickness, transparency requirement and filling type. Ask ColorWay about integration, testing and sample availability, and include your bottle format and storage conditions so the recommendation starts from your real container.
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View productuso-1002a requires no activation, is compatible with any pet grade and works with existing single-layer injection molding equipment while maintaining bottle transparency. uso-1001p is the enhanced variant, offering stronger oxygen barrier and absorption, minimal impact on transparency and extended protection for products that require a longer shelf life.
uso-1002a requires no activation and is positioned for existing single-layer injection molding equipment, so it can be introduced without adding an activation stage to the line. confirm the handling steps for uso-1001p and for your specific equipment with colorway before a production run.
the product page lists juice, tea and functional beverage packaging, and states that the additive is suitable for both cold and hot aseptic filling of pet bottles.
it works in two directions at once: it blocks external oxygen from entering through the bottle wall and absorbs internal oxygen already present in the bottle wall, the headspace and the liquid. that combination helps slow oxygen-related degradation and preserve flavour, colour, aroma and nutritional quality, while also helping prevent or reduce delamination.
no numeric dose rates, capacity or shelf-life figures are stated on the product page. absorption efficiency depends on the amount added, bottle thickness and storage conditions, so colorway's technical team should recommend a starting level for your container and storage profile.
use the contact us page or the inquiry form on the product page, and ask about integration, testing and sample availability. the product page also lists direct contact details: jennifer.wu@colorwayglobal.com and +86 21 54366667.