While we are discussing plastic squeeze bottles

Gemini Crow Sauce Company

Gemini Crow Sauce Company

I know this had been discussed (and the topic probably started by me) over a year ago, but I can't find it.
 
This past weekend at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo, I decided to take notice on how many of the vendors were sampling their sauce to customers. Virtually 'everyone' was doing it out of a plastic squeeze bottle of some shape, size and variety.
 
If I recall/remember correctly, this was frowned upon for reasons I don't remember.
 
I have been sampling out of actual official bottles which I opened and put a stopper/slower over the mouth with. At the end of the show, I put the cap back on and it goes back in my fridge till next time...A bottle will usually last about 2-3 weeks depending on how many events I had lined up.
 
I would prefer to invest in some nice small heavy duty BPA free plastic squeeze bottles to sample from. From what I observed, it is cleaner and definitely quicker/easier to dispense samples from.
 
Am I missing something? DO I stay with the glass bottle to sample from or is it OK to go into the plastic squeeze? Looking from a health/legal/FDA approval sense, moreso than personal opinion...
 
Gratzi!
 
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nothing wrong with sampling out of plastic.  The room temp processed sauce in your glass bottle is poured into the plastic squirt bottle, sometimes the event inspector will want the squirt bottles to be kept in an ice bath if the bottle will be out on the table for more than 3 hours and if the label says "refrigerate after opening".
 
The problem with the plasic bottles is HOT PACKING into plastic.  Some plastics melt and deform when filled with the heated sauce, some will off-gas when filled with heated sauce, some are OK to be filled with heated sauce, but I think they are more expensive.
 
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Yep - I use squeeze bottles at every festival. Perfect pour every time - just one splooge of sauce out of the squeeze bottle and voila! 
 
At farmers markets it doesn't make sense to waste 2 bottles of sauce for a 10 oz squeeze bottle since I only sample about 1/3 to 1/2 a bottle at a FM. But for festivals I'll refill those biatches several times a day. 
 
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you don't have to fill the squeeze bottle all the way full~~~ ;)  just fill it 1/3rd full~~~ 
 
Why can't you use the same squirt bottle for multiple FMs since you are out every day in the summer?  Have a little cooler with a blue ice pack for travel, keep it refered the rest of the time....?
 
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I go to festivals once and awhile. I much prefer to be sampled with a plastic bottle. The glass bottles can become slow and stuck then you got some dude slaming the bottle all over your chip. 
 
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salsalady said:
you don't have to fill the squeeze bottle all the way full~~~ ;)  just fill it 1/3rd full~~~ 
 
Why can't you use the same squirt bottle for multiple FMs since you are out every day in the summer?  Have a little cooler with a blue ice pack for travel, keep it refered the rest of the time....?
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I could, but it wouldn't be good for more than 1 day. The squeeze bottles aren't seal-able. 
 
So yes - I could use 1 bottle. But then I'd be using 8 bottles a day. Plus in the summer I have to have 2 sets open & swap out every couple hours. Well, technically I don't have to - but sauce tastes better at or below room temps, so I choose to. 
 
So yeah, I'd have 16 a day for samples. No thanks. 
 
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Cool cool.
 
I wish I remember what I had read and the reasoning against...Maybe the pepper/vinegar combo (in most sauces) break down the plastic quicker? I dunno....I go through tasting sample bottles rather quick, so I think I am in fine shape!  thank you kind folks.
 
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Which Plastic?  in the sampling bottles or plastic bottles used for packaging and selling?
 
Someone said a co-packer they talked to wouldn't pack their hot sauce in plastic because the chiles deteriorated the plastic....which is total BS because all the BigBoys sell plastic gallon jars of hot sauce.  I mean...DUH! Rooster sauce is in plastic!  Apparently it does make a difference the type of  plastic used and if it's hot packed or cold packed....Aren't those blister-packets plastic?  I think soem are foil lined, but a lot are just plastic.  I know mustard packets are plastic, and I think TacoBell hot sauces are just plastic packets. 
 
Those sampling squirt bottles handle mustard, catsup, malt vinegar, BBQ sauces of all sorts....al of which contain vinegars and other acids, chiles.....As long as you are filling with room-temp sauces and not trying to hot pack the sample bottles, you are fine.
 
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Lucky Dog Hot Sauce said:
 
I could, but it wouldn't be good for more than 1 day. The squeeze bottles aren't seal-able. 
 
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I've seen them both ways. They definitely make the squeeze bottles with an attached cap, and I'm sure there are screw lids like the Rooster sauce lids. No, the multipacks of squeeze bottles at places like Sam's club don't appear to be resealable.
One of my projects for this year is to make a hot tomato and vinegar reduction (ketchup) so I'm on the lookout for resealable squeeze bottles. I've seen a few but not too many.
 
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Jeff H said:
 
I've seen them both ways. They definitely make the squeeze bottles with an attached cap, and I'm sure there are screw lids like the Rooster sauce lids. No, the multipacks of squeeze bottles at places like Sam's club don't appear to be resealable.

One of my projects for this year is to make a hot tomato and vinegar reduction (ketchup) so I'm on the lookout for resealable squeeze bottles. I've seen a few but not too many.
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Plastic bottles for a product like catsup or mustard for sale are hard to find.  I've looked for my cold packed chipotle mustard. 
 
 
Regular squeeze bottles can be covered with plastic wrap or caps between shows.  It's possible, but up the the vendor what they want to do.  gonna look for commercial squeeze bottle with a flip cap---
 
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These are 12 ounce bottles
 
  
image2-300x300.jpg

 
this stuff is insane by the way
 
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Jeff H said:
I've seen them both ways. They definitely make the squeeze bottles with an attached cap, and I'm sure there are screw lids like the Rooster sauce lids. No, the multipacks of squeeze bottles at places like Sam's club don't appear to be resealable.One of my projects for this year is to make a hot tomato and vinegar reduction (ketchup) so I'm on the lookout for resealable squeeze bottles. I've seen a few but not too many.
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Yeah, but I don't have any. :p
 
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sicman said:
These are 12 ounce bottles
 
  
image2-300x300.jpg

 
this stuff is insane by the way
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The maker doesn't post ingredients on their website.  Looks like mayo mixed with other stuff which could be cold packed into plastic bottles. 
 
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And why can't you use the sample bottles from one market to the next?  Is there a health district mandate that says otherwise?  Samples must be fresh on the day of the market?  That's not how sauces work in the home where they are opened and consumed for MONTHS.
 
 
I'd understand if there is a health district mandate that says you can't use sampling product from one market to the next, but if there's not, I don't see why a set up of 2x 6 bottles on rotation and under refrigeration couldn't be employed for markets. 
 
 
OK- I'm partially just rambling, but partially just asking why you can't use sample bottles for more than one market if kept under refrigeration.  If you're griping about wasting sauces in a fully filled sample bottle when the market only needs 1/3 bottle, and not being able to use a 1/3 filled plastic bottle and having to use glass bottles for samples...???
 
Just wondering ~
 
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At markets I just pour out of bottles. It's easy- I don't mind doing it and it's efficient. I don't have to wash plastic bottles all the time. Plus people like seeing the label on the originals & if I use squeeze bottles of also have to replace the labels several times a week.

I'd rather not burn through that many labels

each to their own - i sample out of the original glass bottles. With 6 markets a week, I don't want to deal with plastic. For festivals plastic is convenient.

It's all personal preference if you want to use plastic bottles, go for it. :cheers:
 
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We use plastic bottles for  farmers markets and demos but then again we don't do 6 markets a week. As far as labels go mine go through the dishwasher and I have no problem with them. I don't fill the bottles all the way full either. Most of the time we go through what's in the bottles by time the market is over so I don't have to worry about what to do with the left over sauce. Like Scott said it's all personal preference and what works best for you. 
 
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salsalady said:
yorker spout-
http://www.containerandpackaging.com/item/J011T
 
linked to work with 12 oz clear boston round-
http://www.containerandpackaging.com/item/J011T
 
 
 
Other Yorker spout-
http://www.containerandpackaging.com/item/L422
linked to work with THIS and other bottles including Honey-
http://www.containerandpackaging.com/item/B295
 
 
 
Did also find these-
http://www.freundcontainer.com/9oz-pet-tapered-oval-bottles-flip-top-cap/p/33614/
 
and these
http://www.freundcontainer.com/plastic-honey-bottles/p/3442B01/
 
http://www.freundcontainer.com/12oz-pet-tapered-oval-bottles-flip-top-cap/p/33615/
 
 
 
 
This one's for LDHS~  :)
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodStorage/condiments?productId=10025902
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You know Ann, you got me thinking. with these squeeze bottles, those of us who only make hobby sauces can easily just use 16 ounce Ball canning jars for our sauces and just pour them into the squeeze bottles as needed. No more f---ing around with the 5 ounce woozies.
 
Maybe a 1/2 dozen in the fridge for sauces that everyone likes.
 
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