Facts About Ultrasonics and Food Packaging

Ultrasonics or the frequency of vibrations above the human audible range play a big role in the food packaging industry. Many food products are now packaged in consumer-friendly single service, resealable and easy-open containers. Everything from tea bags to resealable zippers can be produced with ultrasonics.

This technology involves tooling or the manufacture of machines used to perform the packaging and is reliant on horns or sonotrodes to produce the high-frequency vibrations. Quality ultrasonic tooling and horns can be vital in the proper functioning of the machines.

Tea Time

Enjoyed by people around the world, tea is not only a delicious beverage but part of many different cultural rituals. Although tea can be brewed using many different methods, most people are familiar with the single-service tea bag. Small, lightweight, and easily portable, the bag for one can travel to the office as easily as it can travel from the kitchen to a warm cozy reading nook. Whatever the use, it may be surprising to learn the bags themselves are “welded” together with ultrasonic technology.

Milk Dreams

Remember those small containers of milk served for school lunch? Opening those containers was a challenge for many children and adults. One needed to develop a technique to squeeze the waxy paper in just the right way to open the spout. Otherwise, the milk-drinking experience could be unsatisfying because of a mangled opening. Thanks to ultrasonic packing, milk now comes with a convenient twist-off spout that operates much like a bottle cap.

Zip Zap

Resealable zippers are showing up on more and more food packages. Once largely limited to plastic storage bags, resealable zippers seem to be everywhere now. Shredded cheese, bags of frozen shrimp, and even bacon now come with a convenient packaging accessory made with ultrasonics. The advantages include being able to buy more in bulk because the packaging is designed to last beyond the first opening. Consumers can make a tight seal by removing all the air before zipping which may further the shelf like of the food.

It may surprise many people when they realize just how many food products are packaged using ultrasonic technology. Whether it is a break for afternoon tea, a warm comforting cup of milk at bedtime, and cooking just a few pieces of bacon at a time instead of the whole pound, all can be made more convenient by the use of ultrasonic packaging technology.