Abstract: A non-contact apparatus for monitoring the contents of a container, especially but not exclusively for quality control monitoring purposes associated with high speed packaging processes, comprises a non-contact ultrasound generation member, adapted so as to generate an ultrasound signal within the container (1). A non-contact detection scheme is employed to enable the contents of the container to be monitored by analysing ultrasound signals that have propagated through or round the container (1) either transmitted through or reflected from the containers contents. In use, the apparatus may be adapted to provide information about container fill level (h) or the presence or absence of an insert (14) such as a head forming device by analysing the measured signal profiles generated by a ultrasound detection member (3).