Pasteurization is the heating of milk or milk products to a certain temperature for a specific period of time. The purpose is to destroy disease-causing and spoilage organisms.

• A. Sterilization
• B. Pasteurization
• C. Homogenization
• D. Fermentation

Answer: (B)

Pasteurization is a controlled heat treatment of milk designed to substantially reduce disease-causing and spoilage microorganisms while preserving the product’s flavor, texture, and nutrients. The goal is to lower the risk of illness without sterilizing the product, which would require harsher treatment and could degrade quality. This differentiates it from sterilization, which aims to kill all microorganisms (including spores) and often alters taste and nutritional value. It’s also not about homogenization, which is a mechanical process to create a uniform fat distribution, or fermentation, which uses microbes to produce acids or alcohol rather than applying heat to kill organisms. Typical pasteurization methods include low-temp, long-time (63°C for about 30 minutes) and high-temp, short-time (72°C for 15 seconds), achieving safe reductions while maintaining quality.