The main objective of this study was to investigate the barrier properties of polyethylene (PE), PE/modified polyamide (MPA), and PE/blends of modified polyamide and ethylene vinyl alcohol (MPAEVOH) bottles against white spirit permeation. After MPAEVOH barrier resins were blended with PE, the resistance of the PE/MPAEVOH bottles against white spirit permeation was significantly improved compared to the PE bottle. Surprisingly, with proper compositions of MPAEVOH resins, the white spirit permeation resistance of PE/MPAEVOH bottles at 40degreesC improved by more than 3000 times compared to the PE bottle, wherein the best permeation resistance (4200 times barrier improvement) of the PE/MPAEVOH bottles was found as the weight ratio of MPA:EVOH reached 4:1. These interesting permeation properties of PE/MPAEVOH bottles were investigated in terms of the barrier and free-volume properties of the base resins and their corresponding morphologies in blow-molded bottles. (C) 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.