Food & Beverages

Biography

Biography: Gail Barnes

Abstract

The presentation will show the results of studies indicating that children prefer milk in plastic or carton bottles and that they will consume more milk, more often, when it is presented in a bottle format. The cost of plastic bottles made with traditional technology has however sometimes meant that schools in the U.S.A. have not been able afford to provide school milk in plastic bottles. This presentation will describe an innovation in how plastic bottles are made, using patented thermoforming film-to-bottle technology, which significantly reduces the cost of plastic bottles. Since this type of thermoforming technology could save 30%-50% in material over traditional extrusion blow molding, its use could put plastic bottles within reach of more U.S.A. school milk programs. The result of more milk available in schools in a format that children prefer could result in maintained/increased school milk consumption, and the possibility of retaining children as lifelong milk consumers. Maintained milk consumption is of particular importance of for girls of school age in terms of the prevention of osteopenia and osteoporosis in later life.