pasteurization

play

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

See pasteurization defined for English-language learners

See pasteurization defined for kids

Recent Examples of pasteurization from the Web

But like cooking, the pasteurization process could cause your raw eggs to have slightly lower levels of some vitamins and minerals, Rumsey says.

— marygrace taylor, Fox News, "Are raw eggs safe to eat — and do they have more nutrients?," 12 July 2017
Sour beers have come into vogue in recent years, but the tradition is centuries-old — prior to pasteurization, all beers had some element of sour to them, Pellino said.

— leeanne griffin, courant.com, "OEC Brewing: Creating Sour and Wild Ales For Adventurous Tastebuds," 19 June 2017
Enter French scientist Louis Pasteur, already famous for his work with preserving milk and other foodstuffs through pasteurization.

— kat eschner, Smithsonian, "How Sheep’s Blood Helped Disprove This Wacky Nineteenth-Century Theory of Illness," 13 June 2017
Among them was the introduction of flash pasteurization, to kill any unwanted bacteria.

— josh noel, chicagotribune.com, "Goose Island releasing 7 Bourbon County beers in 2017, the most ever, as brewery regains confidence," 11 June 2017
In Montana, that date is 12 days after pasteurization.

— jennifer mcclellan, USA TODAY, "Americans waste food because we're confused — and because we can," 30 May 2017
Whole, non-homogenized milk is processed in small batches using low temperature vat pasteurization.

— joan rusek, cleveland.com, "Veterans Day celebrations are on tap: Valley Views," 15 May 2017
In 1865 Pasteur was recommending that vintners heat their wines to 130-150 degrees F to kill the acetobacters that turned contaminated wine into vinegar — and thus was the birth of pasteurization.

— tom hanscom, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Arbois, France, celebrated for wine, cheese, Pasteur," 11 May 2017
And ironically, here in the land of Pasteur, pasteurization of the milk used to make Comté is strictly forbidden.

— tom hanscom, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Arbois, France, celebrated for wine, cheese, Pasteur," 11 May 2017

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.

First Known Use of pasteurization

1886

PASTEURIZATION Defined for English Language Learners

pasteurization

play

noun

Definition of pasteurization for English Language Learners

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

PASTEURIZATION Defined for Kids

pasteurization

play

noun pas·teur·i·za·tion \ ˌpas-chə-rə-ˈzā-shən , ˌpa-stə- \

Definition of pasteurization for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

pasteurization

noun pas·teur·iza·tion

variants: also British pasteurisation play \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)

Learn More about pasteurization

See words that rhyme with pasteurization Spanish Central: Translation of pasteurization Nglish: Translation of pasteurization for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pasteurization

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up pasteurization? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

pasteurization

Definition of pasteurization

Recent Examples of pasteurization from the Web

First Known Use of pasteurization

PASTEURIZATION Defined for English Language Learners

pasteurization

Definition of pasteurization for English Language Learners

PASTEURIZATION Defined for Kids

pasteurization

Definition of pasteurization for Students

Medical Dictionary

pasteurization

medical Definition of pasteurization

Learn More about pasteurization

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

glabrous

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

"Immune to" or "Immune from"?

What's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?

Welcome to the New Words

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Name that Color!

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Word Winder's CrossWinder

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

9 Slang Words With Academic Origins

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066

pasteurization

Definition of pasteurization

From the M-W Editors

Recent Examples of pasteurization from the Web

First Known Use of pasteurization

PASTEURIZATION Defined for English Language Learners

pasteurization

Definition of pasteurization for English Language Learners

PASTEURIZATION Defined for Kids

pasteurization

Definition of pasteurization for Students

Medical Dictionary

pasteurization

medical Definition of pasteurization

Learn More about pasteurization

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

9 Slang Words With Academic Origins

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066