The present invention comprises polyester blend compositions having improved flavor retaining properties and color, comprising: (A) 98.0 to 99.95 weight percent of a polyester which comprises (1) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising repeat units from at least 85 mole percent terephthalic acid or naphthalenedicarboxylic acid derived from terephthalic acid or naphthalenedicarboxylic acid respectively; and (2) a diol component comprising repeat units from at least 85 mole percent ethylene glycol, based on 100 mole percent dicarboxylic acid and 100 mole percent diol; and (B) 2.0 to 0.05 weight percent of a polyamide; wherein the combined weights of (A) and (B) total 100 percent.