Pasteurization is a heat treatment process designed to reduce the number of viable microorganisms in liquids like milk and juices. Its primary goal is to kill harmful pathogens and reduce spoilage organisms, thereby extending shelf life and improving safety.
The process effectively targets and destroys many common microorganisms, including:
While effective against living cells, pasteurization does not reliably destroy all microbial byproducts. Specifically:
Therefore, pasteurization significantly improves microbial safety but does not guarantee the complete elimination of all potential contaminants or their harmful effects, such as heat-resistant toxins.