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How pasteurization works
THE PROCESS of pasteurization was created by Louis Pasteur. He discovered that the destruction of bacteria can be performed by exposing them to certain minimum temperature for certain minimum time and the higher the temperature the shorter the exposure time required.
There are three forms of pasteurization: Batch, or Vat, HTST, and UHT pasteurization.
Batch or Vat Pasteurization heats the product up to 145F for 30 minutes and kills most common bacteria. A large vat is used and as a result, much space is needed. For this reason, only small operations use this process.
The second is HTST (high temperature, short time) pasteurization. As the name suggests, it is a shorter process with higher temperatures. This is the most widely used process.
This is a continuous method and a ‘hold tube’ is used. The ‘hold tube’ is the tubing in the system that transports the milk after the point where the product is heated. The tubing is sized so that it takes 15 to 20 seconds for the product to travel all the way through it.
When it reaches the end, if the temperature is at 161F or hotter, it is considered pasteurized. It is then cooled and put in storage.
The third is UHT (ultra-high temperature) pasteurization. This method is used mainly for coffee creamers and boxed juices. These products are brought to more than the boiling point, 250F (under pressure) for only a fraction of a second.
After this, there is no need to refrigerate, because UHT process sterilizes the product. Sometimes, the products can have a ‘cooked’ taste that can be detected after being brought to such a high temperature.
The process of pasteurization not only kills bacteria, but it also kills off nutrients and the essential vitamins. When you cook a product, it cooks away the goodness, which is why a raw vegetable is the best to eat. When cooked, it is not very rich in vitamins.
The process of pasteurization may be helpful in keeping away unhealthy bacteria and viruses but it is not high in nutrition.
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