pasteurize
PAS-chuh-ryze
/ˈpæstʃəraɪz/
To subject a liquid (like milk or juice) to a process of partial sterilization, especially one involving heat, to make it safe for consumption.
Unlike full sterilization, pasteurization doesn't kill all microbes, just the harmful ones, preserving more flavor.
The story behind the word. Named in honor of the French scientist Louis Pasteur, who in 1864 demonstrated that heating wine just enough would kill the bacteria causing it to spoil without ruining the taste.
Word relationships
- sterilize: Sterilize kills ALL living organisms; pasteurize only kills pathogens.
- contaminate: To make something impure or dangerous by adding microbes.
Commonly confused with
- homogenize: Homogenize means to make the texture uniform (like preventing cream from separating in milk); pasteurize is about heat-killing bacteria.
Word family
- pasteurization (noun): The process of pasteurizing.
Collocations
- pasteurize milk
- cold pasteurization
- unpasteurized juice
Example sentences
- "Most commercial milk is flash-heated to pasteurize it before it reaches the supermarket shelves." Dairy safety.
- "Louis Pasteur developed the method to pasteurize wine and beer to prevent them from souring." Historical context.
Memory hook
Pasteur's 'past-your-eyes'—killing the tiny things you can't see. Heat to kill germs.
When not to use
Do not use for cleaning surfaces; that is 'disinfecting'. Pasteurize is specifically for food/drink.
Fun facts
- Pasteurization was originally invented for wine and beer, not milk!
Explore more words
sterile, preserve, infuse, sous-vide, incinerate, deteriorate
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