Pasteurization: An Overview

Pasteurization is a process of heating every particle of food or beverage to a specific temperature for a predetermined length of time, then quickly cooling it. This process of heating and cooling kills harmful bacteria and extends the shelf life of many food and beverage products, making them safer and much more palatable. This process was pioneered by Louis Pasteur in the mid-1800s to stop beer and wine from turning sour. Milk was quickly added to the list of product categories improved by pasteurization, and today the process is used to treat everything from orange juice and apple cider to beer, wine, and cheese.

Understanding the Process of Pasteurization

Pasteurization is typically accomplished using one of two processes. The first is called high-temperature/short-time (HTST) pasteurization. In this process, food or beverage is heated to a temperature of at least 71F (21.7C) for at least 15 seconds. The second is called ultraviolet (UV) pasteurization. This process passes food or beverage through a UV light chamber that eliminates bacteria. In either process, the food or beverage is cooled rapidly after pasteurization to ensure any harmful bacteria are not able to survive in the cooled product.

Applying Pasteurization to Everyday Consumption

Perhaps the most widely consumed product that is pasteurized is milk. Without pasteurization, milk provides a comfortable environment for bacteria to grow and thrive and is known to be a source of salmonella and E. coli, both of which are dangerous to consume. Pasteurizing milk eliminates 99.98% of potential harmful bacteria and destroys even more dangerous bacteria, making milk much more palatable. Other products, such as juices, jams and jellies, cheese, yogurt, and beer, are all pasteurized to keep the food and beverage safer and more palatable.

There is a wide range of food and beverage products that benefit from the pasteurization process, and the process itself is simple, yet effective, at making products much more palatable and safe for consumption. Pasteurization is just one of the important processes necessary in the food and beverage industry, and by using it, consumers can rest assured that the food or beverage they’re consuming is much safer than it would be without it.