Rant

[cinelu]

My husband drinks a popular brand of tea that comes in nice, thick glass bottles, that would be GREAT to use to home-can juices. *I have contacted the company and an internet supplier to try to find replacement lids to use for these bottles. *Both sources have told me that the "bottles and lids are proprietary", and that no lids are available. *WHAT A WASTE!! *HOW ENVIRONMENTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THIS COMPANY!!! *I have expressed my views on this to the company (not that it will matter to them). *

I think that it's time for consumers to insist that these companies start using products that can easily be recycled by consumers.

[Junie]

I know you're not supposed to do it, but those lids will reseal. I found it out by accident when I filled a couple of them with hot syrup.

[cinelu]

Junie,

I know you're not supposed to do it either. I did try it as an experiment, and the lids seemed to seal (I put them in a boiling water bath), but the button in the middle stayed up. My mil used to re-use this type of jar all the time with success, I was just trying to be sure before I wasted a bunch of juice.

I make my own vegetable cocktail (v-8) juice, grape juice, etc., and I think these jars are the perfect size.

[CanNerd]

If the button in the middle stays up, it did not seal and it should stay in the refrigerator.

I will use such bottles but I will still keep them in the refrigerator for safety. The processing and sealing just extends the life so it can stay in the frig a long time.

Keep in mind those full cover caps can hold food underneath that you cannot see and could become bacteria ridden that transfers when you open it. Commercial companies don't use the same processing methods and is much more sophisticated.

[leera]

Companies do it on purpose......it seems like a waste to us,but to them there's a bunch of numbers crunching and legal stuff behind the scenes.

[lsg]

There are companies that sell commercial glass containers. *I bet you could find new lids there if you knew the number of the lid.

http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=9

http://www.netbottle.com/salad-dressing-glass-bottles.html

http://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin48d.html

http://www.globalsources.com/manufacturers/Juice-Bottle.html

[cinelu]

lsg,

thanks for the links. I am investigating them now. I have saved about 30 of the bottles so far, and am saving their lids also. I will report if I am able to find a lid that will work.

Cinelu

[rockymtngirl]

HI Cinelu - I have ordered from Specialty bottle before - they do have pretty good prices and quick delivery. I've used their syrup bottles and the 250ml square bottles for flavored vinegars and syrup - not sure that they have sealable lids though. Good luck in your search!

[lsg]

cinelu, if you had room you could freeze the juice in those bottles. You could just fill them about 2/3 full though. I froze some homemade V8 juice in canning jars, and we loved it. It would take up a lot of room in your freezer though.

[bookwormom]

I don't know what bottles you mean, I take it those are twist off lids? I reuse them all the time and save jars with those lids. I have used them since 1980 and find them to work great. I learned about it when we lived in Europe and it seems it is very common there and the women's magazines give jam and jelly recipies telling the readers to use those jars, fill them to the top and turn them upside down for ten minutes. I would not do that with juice. However, I must say I have had more spoilage with ball mason jars than with reused twist off lids. In 25 years I doubt that I had five jars spoil on me.

[silvergramma]

hello,,i can remember when my kids were tots i would use those button lids but cant remember what product they came from...a lot of folks here save every jar and lid they get their hands on and use them for chokecherry juice..
you can get great deals on these jars at garage sales and auctions.. the ladies just hold on to them till they stop canning then give them away or sell them cheap