The curious case of the UHT milk’s shelf life

The cost of Tetra Pak packaging is about 13% of the total price of a one-litre-UHT milk package that we buy from the market. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: 

A package should always save a business more than it costs, according to Dr Ruben Rausing, founder of Tetra Pak – the Sweden-based packaging giant and the single largest player responsible for the packaging of Ultra-High-Temperature (UHT) processing milk sold in Pakistan.

His quote, perhaps, best sums up what happens in the Pakistan market.

The cost of Tetra Pak packaging is about 13% of the total price of a one-litre-UHT milk package that we buy from the market. Whether or not this number is large enough will remain a debate but on a holistic level, the technology has the potential to save the country more than it costs.

According to conservative estimates of the dairy milk industry, Pakistan faces milk shortage to the tune of 4 billion litres a year. What is more ironic is the fact that of the total milk produced by the country, over 6 billion litres is wasted every year due to lack of proper cold chain and technologies for preservation.

The formal dairy sector, which is less than 10% of the total milk market, has been able to preserve its milk collection through Tetra Pak packaging technology – a six-layer carton – that helps increase the milk’s shelf life for up to 90 days.

However, a majority of consumers still think that Tetra Pak milk – a common name for the UHT milk sold in the country – contains preservatives added by the industry to increase the product’s shelf life.

Story behind milk preservation

To find out to what extent is the impression true, The Express Tribune recently covered the handling and processing of UHT milk. It was found out that the entire supply chain was managed under hygienic conditions and followed international best practices. No evidence was found that support the notion that the industry mixes chemicals in their milk.

Like many consumers, our correspondents, too, were curious to know how the formal players preserve milk for so long without any preservatives. The answer was the aseptic packaging technology.

The aseptic packaging material of Tetra Pak, as observed and learned, does not allow milk or food inside Tetra Pak packages to come into contact with moisture, light and microorganisms – the three reasons for food degradation.

The aseptic technology ensures food and packaging material are free from harmful bacteria, meaning that it can be kept for several months without the need for preservatives or even refrigeration.

The six-layer Tetra Pak Brik or aseptic packaging has three core components — 75% carton board for strength and labelling, 20% polyethylene plastic and 5% aluminium foil for impermeability to light and air.

According to our findings, it is this technology that preserves food – milk in this case – and not any chemicals or preservatives. Hence, it was not surprising to learn that Tetra Pak, which follows food safety standards defined by World Health Organisation, is catering to the packaging and preservation needs of over 170 countries of the world including the US and Europe.