Bacteria

Fresh milk used to be delivered in glass bottles but often along the way someone would break them. So it was not the easiest and safest way to store milk. Ruben Rausing and Erik Wallenberg came up with a solution when they managed to store milk in a paper carton.

The paper carton did not break. The paper carton was lined with a layer of plastic on the inside so that the milk does not seep through the paper. Their way of packaging also solved another problem. It was able to allow for milk to be kept from going bad for much longer periods of time than in a glass bottle. They managed to do this by keeping harmful bacteria out
when they did not allow air to enter the paper carton when they sealed it.

Ruben Rausing and Erik Wallenberg eventually called their invention ”Tetra aedern.” and their company “Tetrapak”. You definitely would have drank from their paper cartons at one time or another. Just look into your fridge for the milk packet or fruit juice packet. Or perhaps the one you are about to drink from at recess time. Most of the time you would find the name “Tetrapak” on some part of it.


1. Find out what it is that they did at http://www.diversifiedfoods.com/HersheyAsepticProducts/HersheyUHT-Fact-Fiction-01.htm

2. Why was it so important for Ruben Rausing and Erik Wallenberg to keep harmful bacteria out? (Hint: Refer to your textbook on pg 59).

3. What is another way of making milk last longer?

4. “Bacteria can be found almost everywhere” If this statement is true, which method do you think is better? Ruben Rausing and Erik Wallenberg’s or the answer from question 2?

5. Do you think Tetrapak eventually used a form of___________(answer from Question 2) to make their milk last even longer than just depending on the packaging alone?