Oxygen-scavenging resin compositions having low haze

A method for incorporating high levels of oxygen-scavenging particles into a film-forming polyester resin composition with low haze comprising the steps of:

• providing an effective amount of oxygen-scavenging particles comprising at least one oxygen-scavenging element capable of reacting with molecular oxygen, wherein the particles have a particle size distribution such that particles of greater than and less than about 25 microns in size are present, but those particles less than about 25 microns in size do not exceed a concentration defined by the formula
• ppm=512.3×d
• wherein ppm is the approximate concentration of particles of less than about 25 microns in size in parts per million by weight, and d is the apparent density of the particles of less than about 25 microns in size in grams per cubic centimeter;
• adding said oxygen-scavenging particles to a polyester resin composition during one or more of the process steps of
• melt phase polymerization of the polyester;
• post polymerization and prior to pelletization;
• solid state polymerization of the polyester;
• and
• extrusion.

A resin composition comprising:

• a film-forming polyester;
• and
• particulates comprising oxygen-scavenging particles capable of reacting with molecular oxygen;
• wherein the particulates have a particle size distribution such that particles of greater than and less than about 25 microns in size are present, but those particles less than about 25 microns in size do not exceed a concentration defined by the formula
• ppm=512.3×d
• wherein ppm is the approximate concentration of particles of less than about 25 microns in size in parts per million by weight, and d is the apparent density of the particles of less than about 25 microns in size in grams per cubic centimeter.