Pasteurization, named after the French scientist Louis Pasteur, is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a set period to kill harmful bacteria without significantly changing the milk’s nutritional value or flavor. This method, developed in the mid-19th century, has revolutionized food safety and public health.
Louis Pasteur, while studying fermentation in the 1850s, discovered that heating wine to a certain temperature could prevent it from souring. This led to his broader realization that heat could kill microorganisms responsible for spoilage and disease. Although Pasteur’s initial work focused on wine and beer, the principles he discovered were soon applied to milk.
The first commercial pasteurization of milk occurred in the late 19th century, a significant milestone in food safety. The primary problem pasteurization solved was the transmission of diseases through milk. Before its widespread adoption, milk was a common vector for pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes tuberculosis, and Brucella, responsible for brucellosis. Other bacteria, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli, also posed severe health risks. Pasteurization significantly reduced outbreaks of these illnesses, transforming milk from a........