Pastöriseeritakse

Pastöriseeritakse is the Estonian term for pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that involves heating a liquid, typically food or beverages, to a specific temperature for a set amount of time. This process is designed to kill or inactivate harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, molds, and yeasts. The primary goal of pasteurization is to enhance food safety and shelf life by reducing spoilage and the risk of foodborne illnesses.

The method is named after the French scientist Louis Pasteur, who discovered that microorganisms could be killed by heating. The most common application of pasteurization is in the dairy industry, where milk is pasteurized to eliminate pathogens like Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. However, pasteurization is also widely used for other products, including fruit juices, beer, wine, and eggs.

There are several methods of pasteurization, with varying temperatures and durations. Common methods include high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization, which involves heating to at least 72°C (161°F) for 15 seconds, and ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurization, which heats to at least 135°C (275°F) for a few seconds. While pasteurization significantly reduces the number of viable microorganisms, it does not sterilize the product, meaning some microorganisms may survive, but typically in numbers too low to cause illness or spoilage during normal storage.