Sterilizing unit comprising a heater

A sterilizing unit for sterilizing a packaging material web which is subsequently converted into individual liquid food packages, the sterilizing unit comprising:

• an inlet through which the packaging material web is introduced into the sterilizing unit;
• a sterilizing solution holder for holding a bath of sterilizing solution through which the packaging material web is fed as the packaging material web moves in a direction of travel through the sterilizing unit;
• a heater positioned downstream of the sterilizing solution holder relative to the direction of travel of the packaging material web through the sterilizing unit;
• the heater comprising a heating element positioned in a housing to heat a flow of air directed through the housing, the heating element comprising a band of an electrically conductive material, the band of the electrically conductive material being a single length of the electrically conductive material that extends from one end of the housing to an opposite end of the housing, and from the opposite end of the housing to the one end of the housing, said band being formed as a wire netting, wherein said wire netting is corrugated in a longitudinal direction in which the heating element extends and perpendicular to a direction of the flow of air through the housing, wherein the heating element is connected to the housing by a plurality of rollers, and wherein at least more than one of the rollers are attached to the housing by a spring which is electrically isolated from the heating element.