pasteurization

noun

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

ˌpas-tyə-,

-tə-

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

The site asserts a number of claims the scientific community has debunked: that pasteurization destroys the nutrition in milk, and that raw milk protects against allergies and can treat any number of ailments. —Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 24 Dec. 2024

When bird flu first showed up in dairy cows, the CDC and FDA assured the public that the virus was inactivated by pasteurization, rendering conventional milk safe (albeit full of harmless virus particles). —Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024

However, none contained the live virus that could sicken people and officials said testing reaffirmed that pasteurization kills the bird flu virus, making milk safe to consume. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 13 Nov. 2024

The risks of bird flu The FDA notes that one increasingly common pathogen removed from raw milk during the pasteurization process is H5N1. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pasteurization

noun

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

ˌpas-tə-

: the process of heating a liquid (as milk) to a temperature high enough and keeping it at that temperature long enough to kill many objectionable germs and then cooling it rapidly without causing a major change in its chemical composition

Medical Definition

pasteurization

noun

pas·​teur·​iza·​tion

variants also British pasteurisation

ˌpas-chə-rə-ˈzā-shən, ˌpas-tə- 

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)