pasteurise

Everyday

To heat a drink or food, like milk or juice, to a set temperature for a short time to kill harmful germs, then cool it. tree →

In the lessons

A science and food word: named after the French scientist Louis Pasteur. In lessons on microbes and food safety, pupils learn that milk is pasteurised (about 72°C for 15 seconds) so that it is safer and lasts longer. Labels say «pasteurised» or «unpasteurised».

Examples

• Milk is pasteurised to kill harmful bacteria. tree →
• Louis Pasteur showed how heating could stop germs. tree →
• The factory pasteurises the apple juice before bottling it. tree →
• Pregnant women are told to avoid some unpasteurised cheeses. tree →
• Pasteurising does not boil the milk. tree →
• We learnt how farmers pasteurise milk in science. tree →

Note

Regular verb. -ise in UK/Ireland/Australia/NZ, -ize in US/Canada. A myth: pasteurising does not kill every single microbe (that is sterilising); it kills the harmful ones, which is why milk still goes off in the end. Capital P only for the name Pasteur.