The French scientist Louis Pasteur is well known as āthe father of microbiologyā. But we most commonly know him as the person who developed pasteurization. A method that prevents milk from spoiling while still keeping it tasty. Unlike sterilization which preserves milk much longer, but at great loss of tastiness.
In 1864 Louis Pasteur discovered that exposing milk to high temperatures for a short period of time would kill off harmful bacteria and make it safe to consume. Due to his interest in fermentation of beer and wine, the process of pasteurization was initially used to treat wine and beer, but soon after, he applied it to milk. While beer and wine were of course quite popular, milk was deemed an important source of food for infants and people with compromised immune systems. For this group of consumers the aspect of food safety was extra important.
On January 28, 1873 the patent for pasteurization was granted and soon it was in use for treating milk. This to great relief of people who were not very fond of the taste of sterilized milk. Pasteurization also became mandatory in some countries in order to reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses. Today, pasteurization is still widely used not only for milk, beer and wine, but also for cheese, juice, eggs, and ice cream.
What makes pasteurization such a great invention:
Pasteurization kills harmful bacteria and pathogens, reducing the risk of food borne illnesses.
Pasteurization extends the shelf life of food products, allowing them to be stored for longer periods of time. This increases the availability of dairy products and reduces food waste.
Pasteurization helps to preserve the flavor and nutritional value of food products, making them more palatable and nutritious.
