Pasteurisation
German: Pasteurisieren (Pasteurisation) Pronunciation: pas-tö-ri-zie-ren Also known as: Pasteurisation, Pasteurisierung, Kurzzeiterhitzung
Briefly heating to below boiling point to kill germs and make the drink last longer.
In pasteurisation a drink is heated briefly to a defined temperature, usually between 60 and 90 degrees Celsius, and cooled again. This kills micro-organisms such as yeasts, moulds and bacteria that could spoil the drink. Nutrients and aroma are largely preserved compared with longer boiling.
A distinction is made between tunnel pasteurisation in the bottle, flash pasteurisation in a continuous flow and hot filling. Pasteurised drinks last longer, unopened usually even without refrigeration. They are not sterile, so opened products should be kept cool and consumed promptly.
Related terms
Bottling and fillingFiltrationShelf life and best-before date
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