pasteurization

noun

pas·teur·i·za·tion | \ ˌpas-chə-rə-ˈzā-shən

, ˌpas-tyə-, -tə-\

Definition of pasteurization

1 : partial sterilization of a substance and especially a liquid (such as milk) at a temperature and for a period of exposure that destroys objectionable organisms without major chemical alteration of the substance

2 : irradiation of food products

Examples of pasteurization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the pasteurization process, heat is applied to milk to kill off a lot of the bacteria. — Chase Purdy, Quartz, "US scientists quadrupled milk’s shelf life using Soviet technology," 8 Aug. 2019 Prospective mothers are screened for common infections, and their milk is screened for contamination before and after pasteurization. — Annabelle Timsit, Quartz Africa, "Kenya hopes its first human milk bank will save infants’ lives," 13 Aug. 2019 Most milk banks closed, and the survivors joined the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, which runs banks across the country with rigorous screening, pasteurization, and testing. — Zoe Greenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "‘Everybody wants it’: The thriving breast milk market," 10 Aug. 2019 The process developed by Millisecond Technologies, paired with pasteurization, more effectively kills off bacteria by applying pressure to the liquid milk. — Chase Purdy, Quartz, "US scientists quadrupled milk’s shelf life using Soviet technology," 8 Aug. 2019 Cold Pasteurized Drinks Cold pasteurization kills bacteria in food without using heat. — Rebecca Straus, Good Housekeeping, "4 Beverages You Should Never Drink Past the Expiration Date," 26 July 2018 Some argue that milk loses nutrients during pasteurization, but this is patently false. — David J. Neal, charlotteobserver, "Nine things a food safety lawyer won’t eat, at home or in a restaurant," 6 July 2018 There are several methods of cold pasteurization, but high-pressure processing (HPP) is the one most commonly associated with fresh juices. — Rebecca Straus, Good Housekeeping, "4 Beverages You Should Never Drink Past the Expiration Date," 26 July 2018 Bacteria are killed through ultraviolet light instead of heat pasteurization, which can change the taste. — Francine Maroukian, Popular Mechanics, "How They Make Applejack Whiskey," 24 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pasteurization.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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13 Sep 2019

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The first known use of pasteurization was in 1886

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More Definitions for pasteurization

pasteurization

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pasteurization

: a process in which a liquid (such as milk or cream) is heated to a temperature that kills harmful germs and then cooled quickly

See the full definition for pasteurization in the English Language Learners Dictionary

pasteurization

noun

pas·teur·i·za·tion | \ ˌpas-chə-rə-ˈzā-shən

, ˌpa-stə-\

Kids Definition of pasteurization

: the process of heating a liquid to a temperature to kill germs and then rapidly cooling it

pasteurization

noun

pas·teur·iza·tion

variants: also British pasteurisation \ ˌpas-chə-rə-ˈzā-shən, ˌpas-tə-

Medical Definition of pasteurization

1 : partial sterilization of a substance and especially a liquid (as milk) at a temperature and for a period of exposure that destroys pathogenic microorganisms

2 : partial sterilization of perishable food products (as fruit or poultry) with radiation (as gamma rays emitted by cobalt 60)