UHT treatment for food and dairy products​

UHT treatment requires both a sterilizer and an aseptic unit (for packaging the product). It is used for low acid (above pH 4.6) products such as UHT milk, UHT flavoured milk, UHT creams, soya milk and other dairy alternatives. The same process is also used to sterilize prepared food, such as soups, sauces, desserts, tomato and fruit preparations, and baby food.

The birth of high heat treatment and canning as a means of preserving food began in France in the early 1800s. By 1839, tin-coated steel containers were widely in use. In the 1960s, building on this early food conservation technology, Tetra Pak pioneered its own continuous UHT process and aseptic packaging systems, and so kick-started the growth of the UHT milk segment.

In UHT treatment, the goal is to maximise the destruction of microorganisms while minimising the chemical changes in the product. That means finding the optimal combination of temperature and processing time for different types of food.

Tetra Pak offers two alternative methods of UHT treatment: direct or indirect. In direct UHT heating, steam is briefly injected into the product, and this is rapidly followed by flash cooling. The brevity of the treatment makes it possible to achieve very high product quality.

However, the process requires relatively high energy consumption compared to indirect UHT treatment. With indirect heating, the product does not come into direct contact with the heat source, but is instead heated using heat exchangers. What makes this method so cost-effective is that most of the heat energy can be recovered.

Optimizing food safety and production versatility

How can heat exchangers and other heating technology ensure the right quality for an increasing variety of products? What are the right heat load parameters for a given shelf life of your new products? Our heating technology guide shows how you can optimize your heating process for improved product quality, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership. So if you’re ready to rethink the way you’re using heat in your food production, download it now.

Equipment for UHT treatment

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit DE

Tetra Pak® Indirect UHT unit DE for or dairy products

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit is a processing unit for highly efficient, continuous ultra-high temperature treatment of dairy and other liquid food products

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit DC

Tetra Pak® Indirect UHT unit DE for dairy

Tetra Pak® Indirect UHT unit is a processing unit offering smarter and smoother operation for ultra-high temperature treatment of dairy products.

Tetra Therm Aseptic VTIS

Tetra Therm Aseptic VTIS direct UHT processing

Tetra Therm Aseptic VTIS, a state-of-the-art direct UHT processing of premium quality, aseptic products from white milk to viscous ice cream.

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit PFF with tubular heat exchanger

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit PFF - tubular heat exchanger

A processing unit for highly efficient, continuous ultra-high temperature treatment of prepared food products.

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit PFF with scraped surface heat exchanger

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit PFF - scraped surface heat exchanger

Gentle indirect UHT treatment unit with scraped surface heat exchanger for viscous products, with or without particles, that keeps sensitive product in motion

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit PFF with coiled heat exchanger

Tetra Pak Indirect UHT unit PFF with coiled heat exchanger

Continuous, gentle indirect UHT treatment unit with coiled heat exchanger for high viscous products, with or without particles

The integrated edge

Integrated food solutions for ambient milk

Get the smartest integrated and automated solutions for processing, packaging and ambient distribution of UHT milk and insights to develop products that consumers really want.

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