🫙 Tetra Pak
Also known as: aseptic carton, Tetra Brik
A multilayer aseptic carton for long shelf life without refrigeration.
A Tetra Pak is a carton for milk and juice. The name comes from the Swedish company Tetra Pak. It was founded by Ruben Rausing in 1951 in the city of Lund. The first pack was shaped like a tetrahedron, a small pyramid with four triangular sides. That is where the word “tetra” comes from. In 1952 the first machine for filling these packs was installed at a dairy in Lund.
In 1969 the rectangular Tetra Brik Aseptic pack appeared. “Aseptic” means sterile: the product and the pack are sterilised and sealed with no germs getting in. This pack has several layers: cardboard, plastic and thin aluminium foil. The foil keeps out light and air.
UHT milk, heated to a high temperature for a few seconds, is often filled into Tetra Pak cartons. In a closed pack it keeps for months without a fridge. Once opened, the milk must be kept cold.
How it connects to milk
🫙 Tetra Pak ← packed in ← 🥛 Milk
Links
- What is packed
- 🥛 Milk, 🥛 UHT milk, 🌡️ UHT processing
- Shelf life
- 📅 Shelf life
- Part of
- 🍼 Milk containers and tableware
- Wine and milk
- 🍷 Wine in carton
Frequently asked questions
Why does milk in a Tetra Pak last so long?
The milk is heated to a high temperature, and the pack is sealed in sterile conditions. Layers of cardboard, plastic and foil keep out light and air.
When was the Tetra Pak invented?
The Tetra Pak company was founded in Sweden in 1951. The rectangular sterile Tetra Brik Aseptic pack appeared in 1969.
History
What to read next
- 🌡️ UHT processing — 135–150 °C for a few seconds (usually 2–10 s): keeps for months without refrigeration.
- 📅 Shelf life — Depends on processing and refrigeration: days, weeks or months.
- 🍷 Wine in carton — Cheap wine in a carton, like the ones for milk or juice.
Similar
🫙 Carton · 🫗 Vacuum flask · 🪣 Bucket · 🍼 Baby bottle · 🫙 Milk can · 🫙 Jug