5 Reasons Why Metal Packaging Is the Best Choice for Preserving Cold-Pressed Oil
Cold-pressed oil (whether it’s rapeseed, olive, pumpkin seed, flaxseed, or any other type) is highly sensitive to external influences.
Its healthy components — antioxidants, polyphenols, and unsaturated fatty acids — easily react to light, oxygen, heat, and impurities. Therefore, packaging becomes a key factor in preserving quality.
In this regard, metal packaging offers a range of advantages when it comes to storing cold-pressed oil — advantages well worth highlighting.
1. Complete Protection from Light
- Metal cans block all light, which is a known accelerator of photo-oxidation, according to the UC Food Quality portal.
- Even dark glass bottles still allow a certain amount of light to pass through, while labels or UV coatings are often not enough to completely eliminate its effects.
- By preventing light from entering, metal packaging slows down the degradation of vitamins, polyphenols, and other sensitive compounds.
For Petriana oil consumers, this means every drop of your cold-pressed oil stays safe from harmful light exposure — right up until it reaches your table.
2. Protection from Oxygen (Oxidation)
- To extend the shelf life of oil, oxygen inside the packaging also needs to be minimized — especially in the headspace above the oil. While some airspace is necessary to allow for natural oil expansion as temperature increases, certain types of packaging have proven superior in maintaining oil quality.
- A well-sealed metal can significantly reduces oxygen exposure. Moreover, metal packaging is impermeable to air and moisture, unlike many plastic containers.
- A study published in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) showed that oils packed in metal cans exhibit lower peroxide values and a slower loss of antioxidants compared to those in some plastic containers.
Thus, metal packaging slows oxidative processes, helping the oil retain its original flavor, aroma, and nutritional value longer. Considering the rich nutrient profile of cold-pressed rapeseed oil and its positive health effects, this is a factor worth considering when choosing your oil.
3. Mechanical Strength and Practicality
- Metal cans are far more resistant to breakage compared to glass — meaning less worry about damage during transport.
- They are lighter than glass — reducing transport costs and making handling easier.
- They can feature ergonomic shapes, pouring spouts, and tightly sealed caps — adding convenience for consumers.
- Metal cans can be easily stacked or stored stably, saving space both in storage and on shelves.
Practicality means that users can pour the oil easily, without worrying about breakage, while maintaining the elegant look of the packaging.
4. Temperature Stability and Environmental Protection
- Metal dissipates heat and cold more efficiently, so the packaging can better absorb temperature fluctuations, providing a kind of “thermal barrier” and reducing heat-induced oil degradation.
- By protecting against temperature spikes (for example, during transport in hot weather), metal packaging helps prevent the breakdown of sensitive compounds in the oil.
Metal packaging is also fully recyclable — materials like steel and aluminum can be reprocessed without significant loss of quality.
5. Limitations and Challenges — and How to Overcome Them
To keep things realistic, it’s worth mentioning potential drawbacks of metal packaging, along with ways to overcome them:
- Metal (especially aluminum) can corrode or react with acidic components of oil — which is why the interior enamel coating must meet high standards, as it does in Petriana packaging.
- Once the can is opened, the oil is exposed to oxygen, so it’s best to use smaller packaging sizes or consume the oil quickly — however, this applies to all types of packaging.
- The cost of metal packaging (especially premium types) can be higher than simple plastic bottles, potentially increasing the final price of the oil.
By choosing metal packaging, you choose sustainability and environmental care.
Choose quality. Choose Petriana.
