The milk production line using Tetra Pak containers has very strict requirements for sterilization. There are mainly the following reasons for this.
Ensuring food safety
– Eliminating harmful microorganisms: Milk is a nutrient-rich food that is prone to the growth of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, yeast, and molds. If sterilization is not thorough, these microorganisms will multiply extensively in the milk, causing it to deteriorate and leading to food safety issues that endanger the health of consumers.
– Compliant with food safety standards: The rigorous sterilization process is the key to ensuring that the milk in Tetra Pak containers meets national and international food safety standards. These standards impose strict limitations on the microbial content and residue of harmful substances in the milk, and only when these standards are met can the milk safely enter the market for sale.
Extend shelf life
– Achieve room temperature preservation: Milk in Tetra Pak cartons usually adopts ultra-high temperature pasteurization (UHT) technology, heating the milk to above 135℃ for a short period of time, which can effectively kill all microorganisms and enable the milk to be preserved for a long time at room temperature, with a shelf life of up to several months. This greatly facilitates the transportation, storage and sales of milk, and reduces the spoilage and waste of milk caused by insufficient refrigeration conditions or improper storage.
– Meet market demands: Consumers have high requirements for the shelf life of milk, especially in some remote areas or where logistics conditions are limited. Long shelf life milk can better meet market demands. Strict sterilization requirements are necessary to achieve this goal.
Maintaining Milk Quality
– Preserving Nutritional Components: Although high-temperature pasteurization may have some impact on certain nutritional components in milk, by precisely controlling the sterilization temperature and time, the loss of nutrients can be minimized. For example, UHT technology can complete sterilization in a short period of time, maximizing the retention of milk’s proteins, calcium, vitamins, etc., ensuring that consumers can obtain high-quality milk.
– Maintaining Taste and Flavor: If the sterilization process is not controlled properly, it may affect the taste and flavor of milk. Strict sterilization requirements and advanced sterilization technologies can ensure that milk still maintains good taste and flavor after sterilization, meeting consumers’ expectations for milk quality.
Compliant with regulations and industry standards
– Adhere to laws and regulations: Food production and processing must comply with relevant laws and regulations. These regulations have specific provisions regarding milk sterilization processes, equipment, packaging, etc. The Tetra Pak milk production line must meet these regulatory requirements to ensure the legality and safety of the products.
– Follow industry standards: The dairy industry has a series of strict standards and norms, such as the ISO 22000 food safety management system, HACCP hazard analysis and critical control point system, etc. These standards set specific requirements for the milk sterilization process. The Tetra Pak milk production line needs to follow these standards to improve the quality and safety of the products.
