What is Milk Pasteurization?

There is a general and urgent need for rapid procedures, applicable to process control, to

monitor food safety and quality

Pasteurizationis a process in which cenain paekaged nd nonpackaged foods (such asmilk

and fruit juice) are treated with mid heaf usually lewthan 100 2F). to eliminate

gens and Ntend sheltife

Theprovess safeguards foods by destroying or inactivating orggnismsthat contribute to
spoilage.including vegeative bactéria butObacterial sporek
The process was hamedalierghe lrench scientist ouNPasteur, whose research in the 1880s

demonstratedthatthermal processing would inactivate unwanted microorganisms inwine.

Today, pasteurization is used widely in the dairy industry and other food processing

industries to achieve food preservation and food safety.

Different Types of Thermal Processing Methods

Initially, the target organism was the bacterium that caused tuberculosis (Myeabacteriun

bovisorM tuberculosis). In the 1950's, the minimum pasteurization temperature was

increasedto destroy a slightly more heat-resistanht organism that was associated with raw
milk, Coxiella burneti, which causes Qever.

Thermization: Heat the milk to between 58eto68C and hold forminotes.

Thermization targets pathogeniesbacteria while leaving thegoodbacreria in the

product. The low temperatures domotaitorthe structureandtasteotthemitk.

Batch pasteuriration: Also known as low-temperature long time

pasteurization. Heat the milk to 6asetemb0-minuies. The extended holding time

causes the atevavien inthe mitkproteinstructure and taste.

Fash pasteurization: Also known as high-temperature short time HIST

Heat the milk to between

pasteurization. 72C074Gfor o20scconds.
 between
Ulhih remperatare (URD pastowrWwwtiwh:Heat the milk to
The extreme heat targets Coxiella burnetil,
8SC to 140C R o 4 second.
hd the
which causes Q-fever. The heat kills the vegentivestonasotbRreri
milk can survive for 9 months

treatment of canned milk products in

Canned sterilization: This is
a wet

treatment chamber. Heat to between 115°C to 121°C for

anautoclave/specialized
10 to 20 minutes.

Milk Pasteurization Definition

is the process of heating milk (or milk product) to a

Milk pasteurization
for a specified period without re-contamination during
predetermined temperature

the entire process.

on the heat resistance of spoilage

Thepredetermined temperature usually depends
NOTE microorganisms that the pasteurization program is targeting to destroy.

Pasteurization
Methods Used in Milk

Pasteurization
High-Temperature Short Time(HTST)

This type of pasteurization is also known as flash pasteurization.

Flash pasteurization involves heating milk to17C for seconds to

kill Coxieliabumetii, which is the mostheat-resistant pathogen-intaw milk.

to bring the milk to that exact temperature, it is
Since it is technically impossible
heat the
range of temperatures. To be safe, you
can
always safe to work with a

seconds.
milk to between 72°C to 74°C for 15 to 20

.This will ensure that the milk is heated uniformly to the required temperature.

continuous pasteurization systems.

T h i s method is most suitable in
 For commercial
milk will keep for between 16 and 21 days.
Flash pasteurized
reduce the number of days to push the
manufacturers intentionally
reasons, some

of the shelves.
out
products
pasteurization
Time (LTLT)
Low-Temperature Long
6 3 e - and held-for
used for pasteurization
are reduced-to
H e r e , the temperatures

30minutes. making
thenilk-proteins
alters the strueture of
The prolonged-helding period

them better suited

for making yogurt.
milk is held in a jacketed
batch pasteurization where the
Thismethod is best for
vat for effective pasteurization.
market that are suitable for
pasteurizers in the
There are many designs of batch
commercial use.
both domestic and

Pasteurization
Ultra-High Temperature (UHT)
method. The product is never exposed
This is a completely closed pasteurization
 terizao destroys
estroys all
pathogenic and spoilage
D e f i n i t i o n :S t e r i l i e

enzymesb yh e a t i
ating.
microorganisms in foods and
Methods: inactivates
Heat: Application of Dry and wet Heat
Radiation: Use of
ionizing radiations
Chemical:
Heat sterilization

Heat sterilization is performed mainiy by mo1St or

ary heat. For
"moist' heat,
annrovimately 121-129 °C with pressure are used, whereas temperatures of
"dry' heat requires
176 to 232 °C for longer duration temperatures from
Dry heat sterilization is not as effective and efficientas
wet heat (steam) sterilization.
temperatures and longer times compared to steam sterilization are generally required Higher
Temperatures range from 160 to 170°C (320-338°F) for periods of 2-4 hours.
The advantage of wet heat (steam sterilization) is better heat transfer to the material or part.
resulting in overall shorter exposure time and lower temperature.
Sterilization is a process of heating food at 121°C for varying times under pressure to insure
destruction of all viable microorganism.
Commercially sterile
Thus, results in
improving shelf life of food items more than two years.
Appropriate plating or enumerating technique/ method may be used to check the
sterilization
effect.

Canning:
>Sterilization of foods inside the cans.
All canned foods are sterilized in retort
(a large pressure cooker) and called commercial
a

sterilization which indicates that no viable

organisms are present.
This process enables food to have a shelf life of more than two years.
Foods that have a pH of more than 4.6, such as meat and most vegetables must undergo severe
heating conditions to destroy all pathogens. These foods are heated under pressure to 121°C for
varying times. Severe conditions are applied primarily to ensure that Clostridium botulinum
spores are destroyed during processing.
These spores produce the deadly botulinum toxin under anaerobic conditions (that is, where there's
no oxygen). The spores are destroyed by heat or are inhibited at pH values of less than 4.6
 bod with a pH of less than 4.6 that is
packaged
Theretor4 l 0 0 ,

need
to undergo
une such
treatment. Theanaerobically, such as spaghetti sauce,
a severe heat
pt

anism and pathogens is secondary

destruction of
Avmingorgani

objective of commercially vegetative and spore

bods are called commercially sterile sterilized foods.
Canned fo
organisms can be detected the
cultural methods by usual

Severe conditions
are applied primarily to ensure that Clostridium botulinum
spores are
destroyed
during processing.

Time and Temperature required for sterilization

in/on food
Type of microorganisms found
Size of the container and method of heating
Acidity or the pH ofthe food: Foods having a pH of more than 4.6, such as meat and most
vegetables must undergo severe heating conditions to destroy all pathogens

Aseptic processing

The aseptic process involves placing a sterilized product into a sterilized package that is then

sealed under sterile conditions. It began in 1914 with the development of sterile filters for use in the wine

industry.