Pasteurization
Q. Pasteurization involves- Published on 27 Apr 16a. Applying heat to kill microbes
b. Adding additives to maintain taste as well as kill microbes
c. Freezing to kill microbes
d. Rapid heating and cooling number of times to kill microbes
ANSWER: Applying heat to kill microbes
- Pasteurization is a hundred-year-old process that destroys pathogens through simple heat, and is best known for its role in making milk and juices safe for consumption.
- French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur invented this straightforward food safety technique in 1864.
- Milk is pasteurized by heating it for 15 seconds to 72°C. Most of the bacteria present are killed including pathogens. However some bacteria such as lactobacilli survive and can cause spoilage eventually.
- Bacterial spores can survive pasteurization. To make milk further safe, it is sterilized by heating it to 105°C for about 15 seconds. This process kills all microbes but changes the taste of milk.
- To make milk safer for longer time, without losing its taste, the milk is heated to 130°C for 2 seconds – known as Ultra Heat Treatment (UHT) milk.
- UHT and sterilized milk need not be kept in refrigerator as long as their containers are kept sealed.
