Pasteurization is a type of microbial control for food that uses heat but does not sterilize. Pasteurization kills pathogens while maintaining food quality. The process was developed by Louis Pasteur in the 1860s as a way to prevent beer and wine from spoiling. The process is commonly used to kill pathogens in milk, however the products may still spoil since they are not sterile.

Austin Community College

Louis Pasteur was a very prominent chemist who is credited with many advancements. He discovered pasteurization, studied the wine spoilage and fermentation, and was ultimately the one to disprove spontaneous generation with his famous s-shaped flask experiment. 

Louis Pasteur

Exposing microbes to either extreme heat or extreme cold is a very effective method of microbial control. Temperature control methods include 
- Sterilization
- Pasteurization
- Refrigeration
- Freezing

Temperature Control

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Pasteurization

We use refrigerators in our homes or in the lab that range in temperatures between 0 °C and 7 °C. This temperature range slows microbial metabolism, which slows the growth of microbes significantly and helps preserve food, medical supplies, or lab cultures.

Refrigeration 

The aseptic technique in the lab uses the dry-heat sterilization method using direct application of high heat, such as sterilizing inoculating loops with the bunsen burner. Incineration at very high temperatures destroys all microbes. Dry heat can also be applied at temperatures up to 170 °C  for extended periods of time  by using a dry-heat sterilizer, such as an oven. However, moist heat is preferred because it penetrates cells better than dry heat.

Dry-Heat Sterilization 

Autoclaves use extreme levels of moist-heat to sterilize contaminated objects. They raise the temperature inside above the boiling point of water to kill any viruses and especially endospores.

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