"Is PET safe?" is the most common question buyers and consumers ask about plastic bottles. The short answer: PET is one of the most studied and most inert food-contact plastics, and food-grade PET preforms meet the EU and US migration rules that govern direct food and water contact. Here is what actually matters.
Is PET BPA-free?
Yes. Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to make polycarbonate (resin code 7) and some epoxy linings — not PET. PET (resin code 1) contains no BPA and none is used in its manufacture. A "BPA-free" claim on a PET bottle is true by chemistry, not by special treatment.
What about antimony?
Most PET is made using a trace antimony catalyst (antimony trioxide). A tiny residue stays in the resin, but the amount that migrates into water is far below regulatory limits — the EU specific migration limit for antimony is 0.04 mg/kg, and typical bottled-water levels sit well under that and under drinking-water limits. Migration only rises measurably under prolonged extreme heat (for example bottles stored for weeks at high temperature), which is why water bottles should be kept cool and out of direct sun.
Acetaldehyde and taste
PET releases a trace of acetaldehyde (AA) during moulding. At controlled levels this is a taste consideration for still water, not a safety one — which is why low-AA resin and tight melt control matter. Delta El Nile for Industry holds water, juice and dairy resin to AA at or below 5 ppm. See reading a preform spec sheet (IV, AA).
Overall migration
PET is chemically stable and does not react with most foods or beverages. Food-grade PET complies with EU Regulation 10/2011 (plastics in contact with food) and FDA 21 CFR 177.1630, with overall and specific migration inside the limits — verified per resin lot and per finished part.
Is recycled PET (rPET) safe for food?
Yes, when the recycled content comes from a certified super-clean process authorised by EFSA (EU) or the FDA (US). Uncertified recyclate is not food-safe; certified food-grade rPET is. See the rPET food-contact buyer guide.
What to ask your supplier
For any food or water application, ask for food-grade resin certificates, a declaration of compliance (EU 10/2011 / FDA), FSSC 22000 food-safety certification, and migration / COA data per lot. Delta El Nile for Industry supplies all of these — see food-grade PET preforms and certifications, or request documentation with an RFQ.