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Chemical Resistance Guide for High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) 
This handy guide will help you determine what products will be shelf stable in High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) packaging. Below you will find a table that describes the percentage loss per year on 42 different oils, food products, imitation flavors, and pure extracts. Permeability is the driving factor in knowing if your product is right for HDPE.
As you will see on the table below, that lays out HDPE Chemical Resistance, most oil-based products are not recommended for HDPE packaging.
| Product | Permeability | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Oils | % loss/year | |
| Boiled Linseed Oil | < 3 | |
| Linseed Oil | < 3 | |
| Castor Oil | < 3 | |
| Cedar Wood Oil | < 3 | Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Coconut Oil | < 3 | |
| Corn Oil | < 3 | |
| Cottonseed Oil | < 3 | Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Dill Oil | 48 | Not packageable. |
| Fir Balsam Oil | 18 | Not packageable - Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Oil of Lemongrass | < 3 | |
| Oil of Sassafras | 6 | Not packageable - Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Oil of Wintergreen | < 3 | |
| Olive Oil | < 3 | |
| Orange Oil | 85 | Not packageable. |
| Peanut Oil | < 3 | Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Peppermint Oil | < 3 | Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Pine Oil | 4 | Not packageable - Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Rice Oil | < 3 | Considerable container distortion will occur. |
| Safflower Oil | < 3 | |
| Sesame Oil | < 3 | Product alteration may occur. |
| Food and Food Products | % loss/year | |
| Vanilla Extract | 3 | |
| Vinegar | 3 | |
| Waffle Syrup | 3 | |
| Imitation Flavors | % loss/year | |
| Brandy | < 3 | |
| Butter | < 3 | |
| Coconut | < 3 | |
| Lemon | < 3 | |
| Mint | 3 | |
| Pineapple | 17 | Not Packageable. |
| Rum | < 3 | |
| Strawberry | 15 | Not packageable. |
| Vanilla | < 3 | |
| Pure Extract | % loss/year | |
| Almond | 3.7 | Not packageable. |
| Anise | < 3 | |
| Cinnamon | 6.6 | Not packageable. |
| Lemon | 42 | Not packageable. |
| Maple | < 3 | |
| Orange | 36 | Not Packageable. |
| Peppermint | < 3 | |
| Raspberry | < 3 | |
| Vanilla | < 3 | |
| Wintergreen | 6.5 | Not packageable. |
