Pasteurizing and sterilizing

Heat, radiation or filtering kills microbes so the product stays safe on the shelf.

25 lines that use it

Almond milk 6 stations · 2 raw sources Baby formula 6 stations · 22 raw sources Butter 7 stations · 3 raw sources Canned soup 9 stations · 23 raw sources Canned tuna 7 stations · 19 raw sources Coconut milk 6 stations · 22 raw sources Condensed milk 6 stations · 22 raw sources Cream 5 stations · 1 raw source Cream cheese 7 stations · 3 raw sources Gelatin 7 stations · 4 raw sources Ice cream 7 stations · 9 raw sources Jam 6 stations · 10 raw sources Oat milk 8 stations · 9 raw sources Orange juice 8 stations · 2 raw sources Pasteurized milk 6 stations · 1 raw source Penicillin 7 stations · 11 raw sources Pickles 6 stations · 16 raw sources Powdered milk 6 stations · 1 raw source Sake 8 stations · 14 raw sources Sour cream 7 stations · 1 raw source Soy sauce 7 stations · 6 raw sources Syringe 7 stations · 23 raw sources Vinegar 6 stations · 8 raw sources Water 4 stations Yogurt 6 stations · 7 raw sources

What it looks like on the line

WaterDisinfect it. Chlorine, ozone or ultraviolet light kills bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. A residual disinfectant is usually left in the water to keep the pipes clean.
VinegarPasteurize and bottle. A short heat treatment stops any leftover bacteria from working. Vinegar is then bottled, and some kinds are aged in wood first.
SyringeSterilize and seal. Packed syringes are sterilized in their wrappers. Sealing them first means they stay sterile until opened.
Pasteurized milkHeat it briefly. In the standard high-temperature short-time process, a stack of steel plates heats the milk to 72 °C for 15 seconds. A plate on the other side lets cold incoming milk soak up the heat from the outgoing milk, which saves energy.
Condensed milkHold it hot for seconds. A short blast of heat destroys some microorganisms, cuts down fat separation and slows oxidation.
Ice creamPasteurize the mix. The mix is heated to kill pathogens, then pumped on to the next step while still warm.
SakeHeat to stabilize. The sake is pasteurized and filtered. Heat kills remaining microbes and stops enzymes from changing it further.
Canned soupSterilize under pressure. Sealed cans ride through a retort, rotary cooker or hydrostatic tower of steam. The time is worked out per product so heat reaches the center and destroys botulism spores.
CreamHeat-treat the batch. The cream is pasteurized or sterilized at ultra-high temperature to kill microbes and extend its life. French rules allow the words crème fraîche only on pasteurized cream packed on site within 24 hours.
Baby formulaHold it hot briefly. The blend is piped to a pasteurizer that heats it quickly and cools it again, to cut down bacteria, yeasts and molds before filling.
Canned tunaSterilize in a retort. Retort baskets of sealed cans go into a pressure cooker. Low-acid foods like fish need temperatures of 116 to 130 °C, which cannot be reached without pressure. This kills bacteria that would otherwise grow in the can.
YogurtHeat it hard. The milk is held hot, well past the heat of normal pasteurization. The heat kills pathogens and unfolds the whey proteins so they bind to the casein and make a thicker, smoother set.